Fundraiser set up for sons of slain Elk Grove Township woman

At 18 years old, Luis Salgado has gone through an immense amount of trauma in the past few weeks, but he's staying strong for his three younger brothers who are now looking to him for support.

Salgado's mother, Divina, was shot and killed by his father July 31 while he and his three younger siblings were at home, authorities say.

Divina, 36, had just returned from a weekend away after telling her husband she wanted a divorce when he shot her in front of their mobile home in Elk Grove Township, police say. She was holding Luis' 1-year-old brother at the time.

His 15-year-old brother scooped up the baby and ran to call 911 while Luis and another 7-year-old brother came out of the home to see their mother dying.

"I was shocked, scared, scared for life," Luis said Monday in an interview over Facebook. "I was in tears and denying what had happened."

Jose Arturo Salgado, 42, is charged with first-degree murder and is being held without bail.

Luis, who graduated from Elk Grove High School this year, and his three younger siblings are now staying with their godparents. He says they're grateful for the help they've received from the community.

"We've been getting a lot of support from our community and friends and family," Luis said.

A GoFundMe website has been set up at https://www.gofundme.com/2hpfrs4 to raise money for Divina's funeral services and to support her sons.

For now, Luis said he plans to "pull himself together" over the next few months by spending time healing with his family. In the spring he plans to enroll at Harper College in Palatine to study information technology.

"I believe God puts challenges in front of us and wants us to overcome it and never give up," he said.

The days since his mother's death have been a nightmare, Luis said, but he said he plans to remember her for how important she was to her family.

"My mom was an inspiring person because she raised us and cared for us with all the love in the world, and she always stayed humble with everything she did," he said.