DENVER — Family members of a 17-year-old girl found dead in an alley this weekend still don’t know how Jasmine Mariah Rivas Hernandez lost her life as they plead for help trying to find the person who killed her.
The Denver Police Department (DPD) is conducting a homicide investigation after Hernandez was found dead Saturday in a small alley in a residential area on North Quebec Street near Colfax Avenue around 12:36 p.m.
DPD initially didn't say much about the situation, other than that her death appears to be "criminal in nature." In a Crime Stoppers bulletin released Wednesday afternoon, the department said she had been shot more than once.
Hernandez’s family is desperate for the person responsible to be caught.
"My daughter, she was a nice, caring person. She loved to help a lot of people," said Veronica Hernandez, Jasmine's mother. "It’s something she didn’t deserve. She had her whole life ahead of her."
Family and friends gathered Tuesday evening to remember her and release balloons.
"I never told her I loved her, so that just hurts me the most," said Diana Hernandez, Jasmine's cousin. "She’s so young, so much life ahead of her. I’m just so mad it got taken from her."
Jasmine was going to school online and living with her boyfriend at the time.
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867 or visit metrodenvercrimestoppers.com. Tipsters can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward of up to $2,000.
Metro Denver Crime Stoppers works by assigning a code to people who anonymously submit a tip. Information is shared with law enforcement, and Crime Stoppers is notified at the conclusion of the investigation.
From there, an awards committee reviews the information provided and, if the information leads to an arrest, the tipster will be notified. Rewards can be collected using the code numbers received when the tip was originally submitted.
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