"Look... I have other small children for whom I must stay alive. It's not easy, really. If it weren't for my children, I wouldn't be here today. I wouldn't be, because it's not easy. I would be where my son is right now," are the words of Coral Salvador, mother of Salvador "Chavita" Esparza III, the 4-year-old boy who died, an innocent victim, of a stray bullet a decade ago.

On the tenth anniversary of the murder that occurred in the 300 block of West Figueroa Drive, at the intersection with Olive Street in Altadena, County Supervisor Kathryn Barger and Sheriff's Department (LASD) Chief Robert Luna announced that the reward for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of the person or persons responsible for his murder has increased to $85,000.

During the fateful night of July 5, 2016, the minor was killed by a shot from a moving car.

The shots were not directed at the child, but at a 27-year-old adult who was being chased by gang members, and who survived the shooting in the residential area.

“It has been 10 years since four-year-old Salvador was taken from his family by a senseless act of gun violence,” said Sheriff Luna, “Ten years later, we remain committed to finding those responsible and ensuring they are held accountable.”

Flanked by Coral Salvador, the boy's mother, grandmother, Juana Esparza and other family members still affected by the impact of the tragedy, Luna said that, as a father, his thoughts were with the family.

He emphasized that, although a decade has passed, the LASD's commitment to finding the culprit or culprits has never wavered.

“We remain determined to identify those responsible, bring them to justice and provide Salvador's family with the answers and accountability that they have deserved for too long,” he said at a press conference at the place where the tragedy occurred, and where he also encouraged anyone with information – even minimal – to come forward to the authorities, even privately.

At approximately 10:40 p.m. On July 5, an adult male was being chased through a property in the 300 block of West Figueroa Drive, in Altadena, by individuals believed to be gang members.

During the chase, the suspects opened fire, hitting the man in the leg, but he survived.

“Chavita” was near the door of his house when he was hit by gunfire.

"He was not the intended target. He was an innocent four-year-old boy whose life was taken by a senseless act of violence," Sheriff Robert Luna said.

The minor was taken to a local hospital, where he later died from his injuries.

"Today, Salvador would be 14 years old. He should be enjoying the summer with his friends, preparing for the next school year and dreaming about his future. Instead, his family has spent the last 10 years grieving a loss that no parent or family should ever experience," he said.

"Salvador was a happy and loving four-year-old boy who brought happiness to everyone around him; he loved riding in his grandfather's lowrider, going to preschool, riding his ATV and watching horror movies - although, I'm told, "Toy Story" was his favorite - and spending time with his family. Like many children his age, he dreamed of what he wanted to do when he grew up: Salvador told his family that he wanted to be a firefighter or a sheriff's deputy."

Although investigators have received valuable information over the years, authorities believe there are still people who know exactly what happened that night.

"We believe someone knows who pulled the trigger. Someone knows who was involved. Someone knows the truth. And we ask those people to step forward and do the right thing, whether they witnessed something, heard something or have information they've never shared. It's time to come forward. Even the smallest detail could be the missing piece to finally solving this case," Luna said.

Asked about the adult survivor of the shooting and any information he provided about the possible suspects who tried to kill him, Luna responded: “We are not going to provide details about the investigation and we must protect the identity of our victims and witnesses.”

"We can't give out information; we have to protect it at this time, but we are seeking help from anyone who has information," he added.

Detective Daniel Machuca, one of the leaders in the investigation, mentioned that, over the years, they have received useful information, but they believe that there are people who know more about what happened the night of the murder.

“It is difficult to contact witnesses who probably no longer live in the area,” Machuca said. “For us, some information such as details such as ages and other aspects are withheld for the integrity of the investigation, but we hope to obtain information from people who may have recently come out with relevant data.”

The investigation continues to search for new leads and the reward is expected to motivate someone to provide crucial information.

“Justice for Chavita”

County Supervisor Kathryn Barger (District 5) told La Opinion that the mind cannot comprehend the pain of a mother who has lost her young son who was murdered.

“It's something unimaginable,” he said. “When I hear that, if it weren't for her other children, she would probably be with her deceased son, that shows me how difficult it has been to cope with this situation; especially considering that this house was where he lived and that the grandmother — who was here — torments herself thinking: “I should have had him with me.”

Barger said that the grieving process is very hard and involves a lot of guilt.

"I have told them that they must be compassionate with themselves and move on with their lives, although nothing and no one can erase that memory, but at the same time there are other children and you do not want them to grow up marked by this."

Due to the above, he explained that it is important to provide the necessary resources to the Sheriff's Department to achieve the capture of him or the murderers of "Chavita."

"I am convinced and I have no doubt that someone knows something. I hope this $85,000 reward serves as an incentive to do the right thing," she said. "The ideal would be to act out of moral conviction and not out of money. So I hope this motivates someone to call and provide information. And I will say something that, although it may sound harsh, is true: there is no honor among thieves."