HIALEAH, Fla. – Two girls who police say witnessed their father stab their mother to death will remain in the custody of the Department of Children and Families, a Miami-Dade Circuit judge ruled Tuesday.
Yulia Torres was killed by her estranged husband, Alfonso Lopez de Queralta, early Monday morning inside of her Hialeah apartment, police say. Neighbors said they heard Torres, 30, and her daughters screaming.
Police said Queralta also stabbed himself during the incident and was taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital for treatment.
Court records say Lopez de Queralta, 41, was arrested Oct. 12 and charged with battery (booking photo above). He was released from jail about a month later and Torres had a restraining order filed against him.
Queralta's charges include first-degree murder, armed burglary, violation of a domestic violence injunction, and possession of a firearm.
Family members attended the hearing Tuesday, asking that Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Maria Sampedro-Iglesia place the girl into their custody.
"I know it's a difficult situation. This is about the children. This is not criminal court," said Sampedro-Iglesia.
The judge said she'd revisit whether the girls can see family members after extensive therapy and home checks.
"I suspect that eventually when a therapist thinks that it is therapeutically healthy, they may want to see you," she said. "Right now, they don't."