On Aug. 12, 2005, a young woman named Vanessa Torres, was leaving a friend's family gathering in Indio. Up to that moment, her life was successful and her future was limitless.

Vanessa had recently graduated Indio High School with a 3.6 grade-point average while participating in a college prep program called "Upward Bound." She was a dedicated young woman, as evidenced by her high school internship during her junior and senior years for a local lawyer.

When she graduated, she promptly enrolled at College of the Desert and had started working for a local surgeon. Her dreams were within her reach because of her own efforts and those of her family.

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