Reliving the past

My third book this week was Carmina Salcido's memoir, NOT LOST FOREVER. Those of us who live here in the Sonoma Valley remember with vivid detail how her father, Ramón Salcido, went berserk and killed seven people, including Carmina's two sisters and her mother and grandmother. He slashed Carmina's throat (it was ten days before her third birthday) and threw her in the local dump and left her for dead. It was quite coincidental that she was found at all and amazing that she was still alive.

All of that I knew. I used to see Ramón every week when San Quentin's death row visiting area was still open. He would sit in the back of the room having a great time with his various visitors, of whom there appeared to be no shortage.

What I wanted to know more about was how Carina got from age three to the present day. What a horrible what-happened-next! She was adopted by an abusive couple who took the money well-wishers had donated for Carmina's future and kept her away from her remaining relatives, withheld their letters to her and didn't allow her to socialize in any normal way.

And then things got even worse. But if that interests you I'll let you read it for yourselves. The good news is that still Carmina thrives. She's a lovely young woman and the community here continues to wish the best for her.