Family grieves over slain TFW Evelyn Castillo; asserts she is not a prostitute

Slain temporary foreign worker Evelyn Castillo (Facebook photo)

MANILA, PHILIPPINES — Evelyn Castillo, a 43-year-old Filipina temporary worker, was found unconscious by emergency respondents after a single-room fire incident at the Quality Inn in Mississauga, Canada last October. She was rushed to the hospital but was later on pronounced dead.

Police held the fire incident suspicious and suspected foul play. Autopsy results soon after showed that Castillo was stabbed prior the fire, causing her death.

After initial investigations, police said that Castillo worked as an escort to 32-year-old Niran Vade Murray the night she died. Murray has already been charged with first-degree murder in connection with Castillo’s death.

However, Castillo’s family did not believe that she was associated with sex trade.

When asked about her thoughts on Castillo being a prostitute, Imelda Quibin said that she would not allow her sister to be one. She added that her sister was a nanny who earned about $1,100 monthly and sent about $250 back to her family in the Philippines every two weeks.

Castillo’s son, Richard, also asserted that his mother’s provision from working as a nanny was enough to supply family needs. He also recalled that his last conversation with his mother had no indications that she struggled financially.

“She asked me if I’m OK and then she said she’s very, very OK,” said Castillo’s son, who is a civil engineering student in a university in the Philippines.

Castillo’s 87-year-old mother with a heart condition has not yet been informed of her death. The family feared that she might die from a heart attack upon hearing the news.

Castillo lived in La Union province in the Philippines before going abroad for better job security.  She was employed in Hong Kong and Cyprus before moving to Canada to work as a nanny for a family with three children.

With report from Cyra Moraleda