06:59 PM PST on Thursday, November 18, 2004

By ABE ESTIMADA, kgw.com Staff

Teresa Caballero blew kisses to family and strangers alike, loved her stuffed animals, and perked up whenever she heard Elvis’ song “Viva Las Vegas.”

KGW

Teresa Caballero's picture is the centerpiece of her memorial service on Thursday at the Holy Rosary Catholic Church in northeast Portland.

Memories of a life tragically cut short are all that is left for a grieving mother.

Perla Caballero shared what she remembered of her daughter, 18-month-old Teresa, who was allegedly killed last weekend while with a baby sitter in Vancouver, during a memorial service in northeast Portland on Thursday.

Surrounded by pink and yellow flowers symbolizing Teresa, Teresa's grandmother, and Portland, Perla Caballero tearfully recalled that the last time she saw her daughter, she was blowing kisses to her mother.

“I picture her having such a great time in heaven, with my mom, and she’s hugging everybody, kissing people,” Perla Caballero said during the memorial at Holy Rosary Catholic Church.

KGW

During the memorial service, Perla Caballero holds up a picture of her daughter, Teresa, who was killed last weekend while in the care of a babysitter.

“Hopefully, she can talk some more. She’s probably loo

Teresa’s babysitter, Krystal Giovannoni, will be charged with murder in the second degree, child abuse investigators said on Thursday. She was originally charged with manslaughter in the toddler’s death.

Perla Caballero had been dropping off Teresa at Giovannoni’s day care for the last six months.

Giovannoni, 23, told police and sheriff’s investigators that she slammed the baby’s head against a door jam and she said she was responsible for her death. Teresa died early Sunday morning at Doernbecher Children’s Hospital after suffering massive head trauma and brain bleeding.

Giovannoni, who is pregnant, posted $100,000 bail and was released from Clark County Jail on Tuesday. Her next court appearance is on Friday.

Perla Caballero was at times despondent as she spoke of her daughter during the funeral.

“Sometimes we lose someone as important as my daughter just to make it a little bit more special, just for us to remember that life, unfortunately, gets ripped away from us, sometimes not by the hands of God or the hands of ourselves...or sometimes it happens when someone takes it all away, and there’s nothing we can do but just remember her,” Perla Caballero said.

When she first learned to crawl, Teresa was sneaky about it, hiding behind her mother’s back. A baby who loved animals, Teresa knew how to say "doggy" right after she learned to say "mama."

A friendly kid, she once waved at all the businessmen and businesswomen during a visit to the Keller Auditorium in Portland.

And when Perla Caballero adopted a cat, Teresa couldn’t wait to love her new pet. But the skittish cat hid under the bed.

“The whole time she was sticking her hand under the bed trying to get to her cat,” Perla Caballero said.

Teresa’s remains were cremated on Monday. A candle light vigil was held in her honor on Wednesday. On Thursday, Teresa’s family and friends said good-bye one final time.

“It feels like I haven’t seen her in an eternity,” Perla Caballero said. “But I know my mom’s happy to be with her, and I know my mom is taking care of her and showing her around all the neat places (in heaven).”