In a tragic incident on September 27, 2021, 2-year-old Esperanza Isidro, a female, died from gunshot wounds in a south Phoenix, Arizona, home. Responding to a shooting call, Phoenix Police officers discovered Esperanza and her 6-year-old brother critically injured. Both children were rushed to a local hospital, where Esperanza succumbed to her injuries.
Her brother, who was also shot, survived the attack.
The children's mother, 24-year-old Esther Callejas, was identified as the suspect and was arrested in connection with the shooting. According to police reports, Callejas called her husband and another family member and admitted to harming the children. Investigators learned that Callejas had been battling depression. She allegedly told her children she wanted them to go to heaven before shooting them. After the shooting, she reportedly attempted to take her own life, first by trying to reload the gun and then by attempting to overdose on antidepressant medication.
Court documents revealed that police had prior contact with the family through welfare checks. However, the Arizona Department of Child Safety had no prior reports of abuse or neglect involving Callejas or her children. Following the incident, a joint investigation was conducted by the Phoenix Police Department and the Department of Child Safety. Callejas was subsequently booked into jail and charged with one count of first-degree murder and one count of attempted first-degree murder. A judge set her bond at $2 million, deeming her a danger to the community and herself.
