KANSAS CITY, Kan. — As the sun set on the Friday before Christmas, a small group met at Carlos Ambriz-Garcia’s final resting place at Highland Park Cemetery in Kansas City, Kansas.
His mother, Amapola Garcia, designed his massive gravestone which bears images of his face on it. The grave marker, erected over the summer, represents the 16-year-old: the black granite symbolizes his long black hair and stands at five feet eleven inches, the same height as Carlos.
“My son was a big loving teddy bear,” she said. Carlos loved cars and video games and has been described as a super big brother who was goofy and smart.
Amapola remembers her son’s final moments clearly; she was with him. Two years ago on December 22, 2021, Amapola said she was bringing Carlos some food at N. 27th Street and Parallel Parkway; her parents have a place in the area.
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She said her son made a bad decision that night that cost him his life. Carlos and his friend were buying a gun from four people in a black car around 7 o’clock. However, Amapola said someone in the car robbed her son then shot him.
“[He] lost his life for $250 making the wrong decision and for that he is gone now. He was only 16, full of life,” she said.
Amapola didn’t hear the shots but saw her son on the ground after a different friend flagged her down. She said the friend who’d been with Carlos had already left. Despite CPR and applying pressure to his wounds, Carlos bled out and died in her arms.
“I was doing everything possible to make sure my son was okay. I never knew that was going to be his last day, his last breath,” she said.
“He had his whole life ahead of him,” added his older sister, Itati Becerra.
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At the time of his death, Carlos was just a sophomore at Wyandotte High School.
“We have really turned to Jesus to help us through this time. We forgive them and all we want to do is have justice for my brother,” she said.
Carlos would have celebrated his 18th birthday in November and had plans to become an engineer due to his love for automobiles. Instead, heart-shaped balloons were passed around to the friends and family who gathered around his gravesite.
After thanking everyone for attending, Amapola set off fireworks, another thing her son loved.
A reward of up to $7,000 is being offered to anyone with information that leads to an arrest.
KCK police also want to speak with Hector, the friend who was with Carlos that night. Carlos’ mother emphasized they just want to question Hector to see if he knew the people in the black vehicle.
If you have information about the death of Carlos Ambriz-Garcia, call the Crimestoppers TIPS Hotline at (816) 474-TIPS, or visit KCcrimestoppers.com.
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