Sister reflects on brother's death in alleged domestic violence incident

DOUGLAS, Ariz. (KGUN) — Alejandro Bernal was ready to enjoy a long Labor Day weekend with his family, taking a break from his job at his brothers' pool business in Douglas.

Unfortunately, it would also be the last time he spent with his loved ones.

"It hurts a lot because he's not going to be with us, and that was our last day with him," said Jacqueline Bernal, Alejandro’s sister.

Alejandro, a father of three, was described by his sister as a dedicated family man.

“My brother, he was just a very sweet guy and always wanting to be around his family,” she said.

On August 31, he was spending time with his family during a reunion when tragedy struck.

“My mom wakes me up and she tells me, ‘Jacqueline, get up, Karen hit Alex with the car,’” Jacqueline said.

According to a statement from Douglas police, officers responded around 2 a.m. on September 1 to a call from a woman claiming she accidentally ran over her boyfriend on the 1300 block of 13th Street.

Jacqueline said the 911 call hadn’t been made when she arrived at the scene, and she immediately began performing life-saving efforts.

“I go down to my brother, and I’m like, ‘Alex, Alex,’ and I check his pulse—he had no pulse. I started doing chest compressions on him,” she recalled.

Despite those efforts from her as well as law enforcement and EMS, Alejandro passed away due to injuries to his head, according to the release from Douglas Police Department.

Karen Molina, Bernal’s girlfriend, was arrested and booked into the Cochise County Jail on charges of negligent homicide, domestic violence and aggravated assault. Her bond was set at $1 million.

The Bernal family is now leaning on their faith to cope with the loss.

“A lot of prayer because this one’s really hitting me hard,” Jacqueline said. "Especially with my parents—there are so many memories."