Midalis Sanchez-Monteagudo - a victim of domestic violence in New York City

Midalis

Midalis Sanchez-Monteagudo, age 36, died on December 18, 2013, at a nail salon in West New York.

Midalis was working as a nail technician at the salon. In the afternoon, her husband, Jose Gelabert, age 39, entered the salon and shot her in the head and then five more times in the body.

Midalis was transported to a local hospital where she was pronounced deceased. Jose Gelabert then committed suicide.

Midalis had been living in Teaneck since June of 2013 with her three children.

Family members and friends said that Midalis had been abused by her husband for years. She lived under threats and stayed with him out of fear. He was violent, out of control and obsessive.

Migalis tried to hide the abuse from her mother because she didn't want to upset her mother because of her mother's heart problems. Her mother lives in Cuba but is in the U.S.A. as of this posting.

However, Midalis had told friends on numerous occasions that her ex-husband would

Saint Bernadette of Lourdes, who
said "I am ground like a grain of
wheat", pray for Midalis and for all who
are ground down by domestic violence. 

try to kill her. She had a temporary restraining order against Jose Gelabert from May 14 to Oct. 11. After the expiration, she had applied for a permanent restraining order against Gelabert, but it was denied.

She told the Judge "It'll be your fault if my kids and I die." Apparently, the judge smiled at this statement, thinking she was exaggerating. Midalis also served her husband divorce papers two weeks before her death.

Midalis's son, age 17, says that he has a 3 inch scar on his arm when his father threw a plate at him and also has a scar on his face caused by his father. The family also have a video of Jose brandishing guns in front of them.

People in the nail salon felt that Jose would have shot them as well, but the gun jammed. He pistol whipped the salon's owner before running away.

Friends state that Midalis fell through the cracks. The Police and the Courts knew she was abused and that Jose Gelabert was violent but they turned a blind eye to the situation and she died for it.

You can contribute to funeral and other expenses at: 

http://www.gofundme.com/5uvv8w

Midalis is survived by many loving friends and family members including her mother, Maria Monteagudo and her three children.

God save us from domestic violence.  God give us the strength to run away at the first sign of abuse.

God save us from those who said they loved us and then kill us.

Pray that Midalis is in heaven. Pray that she is at peace and is with God. Amen.