Victim Wants to Promote Hope:

Sacramento Bee writer Jennifer Garza reports on the survival of Carmina Salcido, whose father attempted to kill her when she was 3 years old. On April 14, 1989, 28-year-old Ramon Salcido, went on a killing spree to murder his wife, two daughters, his mother-in-law, two young sisters-in-law, and his boss. He also shot another co-worker and slashed Carmina's throat. Carmina lay at the county dump for 36 hours, only surviving because her head had fallen forward and kept her airway intact long enough for the blood to congeal and seal it off. In November 1990, Ramon was convicted of murder and other crimes and was sent to death row at San Quentin State Prison. Carmina used to visit her father in prison, but eventually stopped. She says that Ramon never took responsibility for his actions. It has been years since her father's killing spree and Carmina is now writing a book and telling her story, hoping it will inspire other victims to never give up hope. Carmina says, "I think there is a reason I survived and that's to tell my story, to show that people can live through the horrible things that can happen."