‘I’m so proud of her,’ family remembers pregnant woman killed in Gentilly Woods

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) -When the daycare called saying her daughter, Alliyah hadn’t picked up her grandchild, Elaine Staes knew something was wrong.

“Alliyah’s not like that every day she picked up her child, if she had to walk and get her if it was raining she picked up her child,” said Elaine Staes.

After picking up one-year-old Kamila, she remembers waiting hours to hear from her daughter. It wasn’t until a friend helped track Alliyah’s phone, they found the sheriff’s office already collected it for evidence in her killing.

“I do not believe he blacked out in any form or fashion… you got the hammer you beat her you slit her throat, you drug her to the shed, you put a bag over her head you knew what you did, I want justice for my child,” said Elaine.

Sheriff’s deputies arrested 19-year-old Alvin Severin, charging him with slashing Alliyah’s throat and beating her with a hammer inside his Gentilly Woods home. Neither her mother nor her sister, Keiara say they knew him, but say they knew Alliyah would not have threatened him in a disagreement.

“My sister don’t speak like that, she doesn’t speak like that, she’s proper, bougie, high class got to be the best,’ said Keiara.

They say it was Alliyah’s drive they remember most. A hard-working young mother who had so much planned for her future especially with a second child on the way.

“I was preparing with boy clothes I was going to spoil my grandson, I was so happy, I was like I can’t wait for haircuts everything you know what I’m saying I love my grandkids… I’m so proud of Alliyah, I could not be more proud of my child, so this really hurts, it really, really hurts me,” said Elaine.

“She always kept her job she works she had a great sense of humor a lot of friends everyone at her school loved her, I want people to remember Alliyah for that,” said Keiara.

Now faced with a life without her, Elaine says her daughter’s spirit will stay with her as she now raises her grandchild.

“I just want my baby to know I’m so proud of her for strength, I could not be more proud of Alliyah, I want her to fly high, I want her to look down on me taking care of Kam and just spoiling her,” said Elaine.

Left with a hole now in their family, the pair say both Alliyah and her children deserved so much more.

“You not only tore our lives but your family life turned upside down because of a decision you made,” said Keiara.

“Give me justice for my child, because I deserve it Alliyah deserves it and her child deserves it,” said Elaine

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