Young Mom Fatally Stabbed And Left In The Street To Die, Allegedly By Ex She Was 'In Fear Of'

A young mom was stabbed and then left in the street to die, leaving grieving loved ones to speak out against domestic violence following her death.

Rosali Violet Acquefreda, 20, was killed on Aug. 30, according to an Ansonia Police Department press release. She was stabbed eight times before being left to die in the street, according to the Connecticut Insider. 

Investigators were initially called the scene for a possible hit-and-run, NBC Connecticut reports. However, police soon determined that her injuries were not consistent with a crash. A medical examiner later determined that she had sustained from multiple stab wounds.

Her former boyfriend Andre LeFrancois, 22, was was arrested Wednesday and charged with murder and risk of injury to a minor. The couple have a 3-year-old son together.

Acquefreda's father, Joseph Acquefreda, Jr. told NBC Connecticut, "She just put whatever harm that came in her way and put it past her and always thought positive because he was the father of her child and it wound up leading her to her death.”

He said at a press conference his daughter was in a “toxic relationship” with LeFrancois since she was 14, the Connecticut Post reports.

“She was in fear of this man, and it’s sad to say that because he was the child’s father," he added.

Both Rosali’s family and her boyfriend Christian Federici urged anyone else in a potentially abusive relationship to seek out help.

“This could have been avoided,” Federici said at the presser. “I tried my hardest. I was there all the time. She was so scared of this man.”

Joseph said Acquefreda was working to build a new life when she was slain.

LeFrancois is being held on a $750,000 bond. It’s unclear if he has a lawyer who can speak on his behalf.