A brother's anguish

Photos by Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

Dario Pluma-Morales wipes his eye as he talks about his brother at his Beaumont home on Friday, Feb. 15, 2008. Crescenciano Pluma-Morales, Dario's brother, was killed by a hit-and-run driver while he rode his bicycle in Beaumont Saturday, Feb. 9, 2008.


Dario Pluma-Morales talks about his brother at his Beaumont home. Police have identified the woman who killed Crescenciano and fled the scene. She is free until a grand jury decides if she will face charges.



An altar in honor of Crescenciano Pluma-Morales remains at the Beaumont home of his brother, Dario Pluma-Morales. Dario arranged to have the body of his brother transported to Chiautempan, Mexico. He'll be buried near his mother in his hometown cemetery. Many immigrants are buried in unmarked graves annually when the state can't locate the next of kin.

Police would like everyone to add a contact number to their personal cell phone contact list and label it "ICE." ICE stands for "In Case of Emergency." Police can call this number to notify family members if the cell phone owner is injured or killed and isn't carrying identification, which is common following robberies.

Please read, "Unlike many immigrants..." by Rose Ybarra.

Images are part of the Faces of Immigration series.