A grieving mother asks the ultimate question: where is justice for her daughter? After filing a wrongful death lawsuit against the Chicago Police Department and Officer Carlos Baker, who fatally shot his ex-girlfriend Krystal Rivera in June 2024, Yolanda Rivera voiced her frustration at a news conference.
Rivera's heart-wrenching words reflected her desire to see some accountability from the department and the officer involved. She is seeking answers on why her daughter was shot, how the police department handled the investigation, and what measures can be taken to prevent such tragedies in the future.
According to the lawsuit, Rivera dated Baker on and off for about two years but broke up with him after discovering he had a live-in girlfriend. Despite telling people within the police department about their relationship, they were allowed to continue working as partners, according to the suit.
Rivera had initially asked to be reassigned due to concerns about Baker's behavior, which ultimately led to his return as her partner on a specialized tactical team that has faced several controversies in recent years.
The shooting highlighted issues of accountability and the city's handling of violent incidents involving officers. Rivera's attorneys pointed out that Baker had an extensive record of disciplinary complaints, including an incident in 2022 where he was accused of accosting a woman at a bar and flashing his gun after she refused to date him.
In August, records show that Baker and another officer exchanged calls following a separate altercation with a female cop. The lack of accountability for such incidents has sparked concerns about the safety of women in Chicago, particularly when it comes to interactions with law enforcement officers.
Rivera's lawsuit is an attempt to bring justice and reform to the Chicago Police Department, ensuring that no family suffers as hers has suffered.
Rivera's heart-wrenching words reflected her desire to see some accountability from the department and the officer involved. She is seeking answers on why her daughter was shot, how the police department handled the investigation, and what measures can be taken to prevent such tragedies in the future.
According to the lawsuit, Rivera dated Baker on and off for about two years but broke up with him after discovering he had a live-in girlfriend. Despite telling people within the police department about their relationship, they were allowed to continue working as partners, according to the suit.
Rivera had initially asked to be reassigned due to concerns about Baker's behavior, which ultimately led to his return as her partner on a specialized tactical team that has faced several controversies in recent years.
The shooting highlighted issues of accountability and the city's handling of violent incidents involving officers. Rivera's attorneys pointed out that Baker had an extensive record of disciplinary complaints, including an incident in 2022 where he was accused of accosting a woman at a bar and flashing his gun after she refused to date him.
In August, records show that Baker and another officer exchanged calls following a separate altercation with a female cop. The lack of accountability for such incidents has sparked concerns about the safety of women in Chicago, particularly when it comes to interactions with law enforcement officers.
Rivera's lawsuit is an attempt to bring justice and reform to the Chicago Police Department, ensuring that no family suffers as hers has suffered.
This is just heartbreaking. The fact that Officer Baker was allowed to continue working alongside Yolanda's daughter despite her concerns about his behavior is disgusting 
. I mean, can you imagine if it were your sister or someone you care about who was in a similar situation? The lack of accountability for such incidents is alarming 
. It's like the department is more interested in protecting its own than ensuring public safety 
. Rivera's daughter deserved better, and her family deserves justice 
. This lawsuit is a crucial step towards holding the department and Baker accountable, and I hope it brings about real change 
.
this is so sad what happened 2 Krystal & her mom Yolanda deserves 2 get some answers 4 sure why her daughter got shot & how the police department handled it its not just about Krystal's life its bout all the other women who might be in similar situations & getting justice is gonna make a big diff 
... I mean, I feel for her, she's been through so much pain & trauma already 
. It's crazy how a breakup can lead to death, it's like, what even is that? 
Anywayz, I'm all about seein' justice done, especially when there's clear evidence of bad cops 
. I hope Yolanda gets the answers she's lookin' for, 'cause let's be real, a mom's gotta know what happened to her baby 
.
This case is a total breakdown – how can you have a cop work with his ex when it's against department policy? 
Baker's got a long list of complaints, but was anyone really held accountable? 
I feel so much for this grieving mom, Yolanda Rivera. The fact that her daughter Krystal was shot by a cop who had a history of disciplinary issues just doesn't add up. I mean, how many times do you have to be in trouble before they take your badge? 
... how old was she again? 22 or something? And why did the police let them work together after they broke up? Like, doesn't that seem weird to anyone? 
My friend's cousin works in law enforcement and they said there are all these rules in place to prevent stuff like this. But it sounds like they weren't followed in this case... anyway... I just wish her daughter was still here 
this whole thing sounds super fishy to me... like how did Baker get away with all these disciplinary complaints without getting fired or even suspended? 
shouldn't the police department be more transparent about these incidents? I'd want to see some concrete evidence of what really went down between Rivera and Baker, not just a bunch of hearsay from people who know them. 
. Can we get some depositions or recordings from witnesses that actually saw what went down? 
and then get shot by her 
this is just unacceptable 
especially considering officer baker had such a rough past with disciplinary complaints 
ugh why cant we just learn from the mistakes of the past & make sure these kinds of tragedies dont happen again in the future 
... like, what's up with that? It sounds like Baker was more interested in his side piece than keeping to the rules, and now someone's daughter is paying the price 
, i cant even imagine how hard it must be for yolanda rivera to keep fighting for answers about what happened to her daughter krystal. its like the cops are just enabled and nothing ever changes 
and now yolanda's trying to bring about change so no one else has to go through this 