'Beautiful, Loving' Tribute To Maplewood's Slain Au Pair

MAPLEWOOD, NJ - They left momentos, they hugged and cried and shared their grief at a makeshift memorial in Maplewood's Ricalton Square. Maplewood's au pair community joined with others expressed their grief at the murder of one of their own Sunday.

Joseph Porter, 27, of Elizabeth was charged in the killing of ex-girlfriend Karen L. Bermudez-Rodriguez and her employer, 40-year-old David Kimowitz.

"This afternoon we stood in solidarity with our strong, beautiful, and loving Au pair community which organized a touching and heartbreaking makeshift memorial at Ricalton Square," said Maplewood Committeeman Dean Dafis. "It was their safe space on their terms, but we sat together in a circle, mostly in silence, we hugged, cried, prayed - afterward messages of love and hope were sent into the beautiful blue sky over Maplewood on white balloons."

Dafis noted that the memorial will remain in Ricalton Square for a few days.

"Please take a moment to stop by and express your support, either by a message on the flag pole or with flowers," he said.

A memorial service for Bermudez-Rodriguez will be held at Morrow Church on Wednesday at 7 p.m. The church is located at 600 Ridgewood Road.

"Our sorrow and sympathies extend to the families and friends of the victims, and to anyone ever touched by violence, domestic or other," Dafis said.

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