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Families Step Forward To Help Children Of Murdered Miami Mother

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MIAMI (CBSMiami) - Three families are stepping forward to care for the two children of a Miami woman who was murdered inside her apartment while her son and daughter were there.

The new developments in this case occurred just one day after the body of 33-year-old Socorro Tremino Delgado was discovered in her home at 850 N.W. 4th Ave. at 5:30 on Tuesday morning when Miami Police responded to a report of a domestic disturbance.

At a hearing Wednesday, at the Children's Courthouse and Juvenile Justice Center, Delgado's cousin Ali Castillo and aunt Luz Marina Delgado Caledo and Delgado's sister Reyna Luna and brother-in-law Douglas DeFord said they could care for Delgado's five month old daughter and 4-year-old son.

Judge Martin Zilber said the children will remain in foster care until another hearing at 9:30 on March 26th which should determine who the children will stay with.

"I think we can share the children perfectly," DeFord told CBS4's Peter D'Oench. "We are family and we love each other. We don't need to fight for the children. We are open to whatever the Judge decides and we will obey that because we love the children."

He said the four-year-old boy witnessed the events leading up to the murder but did not actually see the crime happen.

"The boy watched everything," he said. "He described what Wilmar did to her. The child was astonished. What he saw will last for years."

D'Oench asked DeFord about the arrest of 28-year-old Wilmar Salmeron, who was Delgado's boyfriend and the father of the 5-month-old girl.

"I prefer not to say anything," he said. "Because I am very angry," said DeFord.

Police said Salmeron was arrested by a BSO deputy at 11:35 a.m. on Tuesday on West Atlantic Boulevard. They say he had a handgun in his right front pocket.

He is charged with 2nd degree murder. A police report says Delgado was shot in the head and the chest.

There were dramatic developments in bond court on Wednesday when Salmeron came before a Judge. Salmeron's Public Defender Eliott Snyder said

Salmeron was "presumed innocent" and he asked the court camera to zoom in show a series of facial injuries that Salmeron had, setting up a self-defense claim.

Snyder had Salmeron turn his face to show scrapes and bruises. Snyder said there were no witnesses and said it could be a case of manslaughter.

He said nothing in the affidavit supported a second degree murder charge and "nothing alleging that the victim's hands were tested for gun residue."

Salmeron is being held without bond. The victim's neighbors said they were relieved by the arrest.

"I'm happy," said neighbor Jessie Foster. "But now there is a little baby who will not know her mother. I am glad they got him. I was very upset and disturbed by this."

"I feel very happy about the arrest," said neighbor Florence Williams. "I have been scared and worried this person might come back to this neighborhood. I am glad an arrest has been made."

DeFord said that Salmeron had beaten and abused Delgado in the past and told D'Oench she was planning on leaving Salmeron.

"Her bags were packed," said DeFord.

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