Filipina dies from domestic violence in Colorado

BACOLOD CITY, Negros Occidental, Philippines — A 27-year-old Bacoleña, who was an alleged victim of domestic violence, died on Nov. 27 at Fort Lupton in Colorado, according to her mother.

The victim was identified as Russcel Recelistino, a human resource management graduate of La Consolacion College here who worked in a restaurant in Fort Lupton.

Her husband, Joseph Garza, was taken into police custody.

A report from the Fort Lupton police said fire and health ambulance staff had responded to a medical call at Recelistino’s home at 7:30 a.m. on Nov. 27 where they found her “unresponsive.”

They took her to the Northern Colorado Medical Center where she died.

Under investigation

“The cause of death is under investigation,” the report added.

Recelistino’s mother, Cely, a former Negros Occidental provincial government cashier, said she learned about her daughter’s death from her employer at the Wholly Stromboli restaurant in Fort Lupton.

She said it was not clear yet how her daughter died. She said her daughter and her husband lived with his parents in Fort Lupton.

When Recelistino was found unresponsive, only her husband was at home with her, it was learned.

“Her employer assured me that he will attend the hearing and assist us in seeking justice,” Cely said.

‘Very jealous man’

According to Cely, Recelistino’s husband was a very jealous man.

“He would check her phone and social media account. My daughter complained she was not free. Her husband was jealous even of the people she worked with at the restaurant, but she was not doing anything wrong,” the mother said.

Recelistino went to the United States for an on-the-job training in Minnesota in 2015, and later moved to Colorado where she met her husband.

Cely said her daughter went to the United States because she wanted to help her family.

Recelistino’s father, Russ, used to work at the office of the provincial veterinarian in Negros Occidental. He died of cancer in April.

Cely said the last time she spoke to her daughter was on Nov. 26 and “she told me she was okay.”