Murder of Elisa Izquierdo

Elisa Izquierdo was born on February 11, 1989, in Brooklyn, New York, to Gustavo Izquierdo, a Cuban immigrant, and Awilda Lopez, who was of Puerto Rican descent. Due to Awilda's documented drug addiction at the time of Elisa's birth, full custody was initially awarded to Gustavo, who by all accounts was a devoted father. Elisa attended a Montessori preschool where she was introduced to Prince Michael of Greece, a patron of the school, who offered to fund her private education through 12th grade.

In 1991, Awilda Lopez obtained unsupervised visitation rights to Elisa. Elisa returned from these visits with bruising, including injuries to her genitalia, and exhibited behavioral changes such as bedwetting, nightmares, and vomiting. Both her father and teachers reported these concerns to authorities, and a court restricted but did not end Awilda's visitation rights.

Gustavo Izquierdo died of lung cancer on May 26, 1994 — the same date he had planned to relocate with Elisa to Cuba. Awilda Lopez subsequently sought and, in September 1994, was awarded full permanent custody by Judge Phoebe Greenbaum, despite opposition from Elisa's cousin, Elsa Canizares, Elisa's school, and Prince Michael of Greece, all of whom cited documented abuse concerns.

After gaining custody, Awilda withdrew Elisa from private school and enrolled her in a public school, where staff observed signs of abuse and neglect. An anonymous letter reporting suspected abuse was sent to child welfare authorities in March 1995, and school staff separately reported concerns, but the authorities determined the reports were "not reportable." Awilda withdrew Elisa from school entirely in December 1994 and did not re-enroll her elsewhere. Neighbors reported hearing sounds of ongoing abuse; some contacted child welfare authorities, but according to the source, no effective action was taken. The abuse described includes physical assault, confinement, forced ingestion of feces and ammoniated water, burns, and sexual violation.

On November 22, 1995, Awilda Lopez told a family member that Elisa was unresponsive with fluid leaking from her nose and mouth, but delayed seeking medical help. Elisa was found dead the next morning. Awilda initially told police she had thrown Elisa head-first into a concrete wall two days earlier. An autopsy documented extensive injuries consistent with prolonged abuse.

Awilda Lopez pleaded guilty to second-degree murder on June 25, 1996, and was sentenced to 15 years to life. She was denied parole in January 2022 but released from Taconic Correctional Facility on April 19, 2022. Elisa's stepfather, Carlos Lopez, was separately sentenced in October 1996 to one-and-a-half to three years for attempted second-degree assault related to a specific incident of abuse.

The case prompted public outrage, national media coverage, and a review of New York City's child welfare system by Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, leading to the creation of the Administration for Children's Services and the enactment of Elisa's Law, signed by Governor George Pataki on February 12, 1996.