Crime & Safety
Slain Mundelein Girl, 11, Remembered; Local Moms Raise Funds for Funeral Costs
Funeral services for Dora Betancourt, 11, will be held on Wednesday. Meanwhile, her older half-sister has been charged with first-degree murder in the case.
MUNDELEIN — Dora Betancourt, 11, is being remembered by her friends and coaches as someone "who loved everything she did," always had a smile on her face and who was particularly proud of her young successes as a cheerleader, according to the Daily Herald.
Betancourt, a fifth-grade student at St. John's Lutheran School in Libertyville, was killed Tuesday after police said her 14-year-old half-sister stabbed her over 30 times following an argument in their home on Woodhaven Court in Mundelein, according to an earlier Daily Herald article.
Police said the argument stemmed from the older sibling believing Betancourt did not appreciate all she did for her, according to CNN. The Mundelein teen, who is not being named because she is a juvenile, appeared in juvenile court on Wednesday and is charged with first-degree murder, according to the Chicago Tribune.
The Daily Herald reports family friends recalled Betancourt as a "happy-go-lucky girl" who loved sports and was also involved in baseball and softball.
She was also a part of the JV5 Lake County Stallions cheerleading squad, which recently won a 2013 state championship, according to the Lake County Stallions website.
"Dora had been part of the Stallions cheer program for a few years and was a lively, spirited child who loved to cheer and spend time with her teammates," according to a note posted on the Lake County Stallions website. "She will be missed by her entire team."
She is also remembered as an active member of her church and school—where she participated in Junior Choir and Girl’s Pioneers, according to her obituary. She also enjoyed making Rainbow Loom Bands, spending time outdoors and was a detailed artist, according to the obituary.
A Community Deals With Grief
The St. John's Lutheran Church website had the following message posted on its website Friday: "Yes, we hurt, but we are healing … We thank you for your prayers and words of comfort."The school provided links on its website on guidelines for parents dealing with a crisis response and another link on how to help grieving individuals.
'Mundelein Moms' Raise Funds for Funeral Costs
As of Friday morning, nearly $12,000 has been raised by a group, which is referring to itself as "Mundelein Moms," to help cover the funeral costs for Betancourt's family, according to the GoFundMe.com fund-raising page.
"We are all very sorry for the family's loss and keep them in our prayers," according to the GoFundMe Web page. "As part of an incredible community of Mundelein Mom's we would like to come together and help support funeral expenses."
Katie Henning, a mother of four who developed the fundraising idea, said their community is embracing a "camaraderie of compassion as a result of this tragedy."
Any funds raised above the costs of the funeral will be donated to Betancourt's family.
'Mundelein Moms' are asking all Mundelein families to turn their front porch lights on from dusk on Friday until dawn on Saturday as a way to "light up Mundelein" and "send our love, light and prayers."
Funeral Services for Dora
A funeral service for Dora Betancourt will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 29, atSt. John’s Lutheran Church 501 W. Park Ave. Libertyville.
A visitation will be held from 2 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Kristan Funeral Home P.C., 219 West Maple Ave. (two blocks west of Rt. 45 on Rt. 176) Mundelein, and two hours prior to services on Wednesday at St. John's Lutheran Church.
The full obituary can be found on the Kristan Funeral Home website.
READ MORE:
- Details Emerge in Murder of Girl, 11; Half-Sister Stabbed Girl Over 30 Times
- 11-Year-Old Girl Stabbed 40 Times; Half-Sister Charged With Murder
- 14-Year-Old Girl Charged With Murder of 11-Year-Old Girl in Mundelein
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