The family of Michigan murder victim Ruby Garcia said they were shocked Tuesday while watching Donald Trump announce that he had spoken with them because, as they claim, it never happened.
While discussing immigration at a campaign rally in Grand Rapids, Trump mentioned Garcia’s death last month. Brandon Ortiz-Vite, who police said has been in the U.S. illegally, has been charged with her murder.
“Ruby’s loved ones and community are left grieving for his incredible young woman. Remembering what they called her, they said she had the most contagious laughter, and when she walked into a room, she lit up that room,” Trump said. “And I’ve heard that from so many people. I spoke to some of her family.”
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Not so, Garcia’s sister, Mavi Garcia, told local NBC affiliate Target 8.
“He did not speak with any of us, so it was kind of shocking seeing that he had said that he had spoke with us, and misinforming people on live TV,” said Garcia, who Target 8 described as the family spokesperson. Garcia also told Fox17 that Trump didn’t speak to any of her relatives.
The Trump campaign did not return a request for comment from The Daily Beast.
Garcia also criticized Trump’s frequent references to crimes committed by migrants who were in the U.S. illegally.
“It’s always been about illegal immigrants,” she told Target 8. “Nobody really speaks about when Americans do heinous crimes, and it’s kind of shocking why he would just bring up illegals. What about Americans who do heinous crimes like that?”
In his remarks Tuesday, Trump also got Ruby Garcia’s age wrong, the Associated Press noted. She was 25 years old, not 17.
