Mother has strong message for city after daughter found dead in abandoned home

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - A mother from Massachusetts is heartbroken after losing her daughter thousands of miles away in Kansas City.

Alexandra Rodriguez was 31 years old. She was found dead inside an abandoned house on 17th and Elmwood Ave, after investigators said someone set it on fire last week.

The Thursday after Father’s Day, Lillian Rodríguez got a call from a Kansas City detective that changed her life forever.

“He asked me for my name, and he just said he feels sorry for my loss and that Alexandra passed away,” she explained. “When he told me the news, I was kind of confused.”

Medical examiners said they found injuries to her body that were not related to the fire and police ruled it a suspicious death.

READ MORE: Homicide detectives take over investigation after woman found dead in house fire

“She was a niece, a mother, a friend,” said Lillian. “Doesn’t feel right and it’s not going to be OK. Nobody deserves this, not in this circumstance.”

Heartbroken at the loss of her fun, loving daughter, Lillian is now calling on the city and the mayor to shut down dangerous, abandoned homes like the one where Alexandra was found.

She had a powerful message to leaders in a city she doesn’t even live in.

“For these abandoned houses to be shut down. Who owns these houses? Who’s responsible for these houses? Who’s paying taxes for these abandoned houses? She asked, “We shut down these houses these people can’t just walk in in and out in and out.”

Lillian said the deep pain she now feels is one many in Kansas City are forced to carry.

“She’s not an item, she was my daughter, she’s a human being she’s not another folder just thrown in a cabinet. I want justice,” Lillian demanded.

Even though she lives in a different state, she’s vowing not to stay silent, speaking up for Alexandra and every mother still waiting for justice.

“We’re going to have justice, have to come here and just knock on the Mayors door,” said Lillian, “we have the right to talk; we have the right for justice, and we deserve justice and that’s what we need...justice.”

KCTV5 was informed by neighbors that the house was set on fire again overnight Tuesday.

KCFD confirmed that it was the same house.

Rodriguez’s family said there is a $25,000 reward for any information that leads to an arrest.