Dear listener, this story is going to be a challenge. There is going to be talk of rape, sexual abuse, and domestic violence, and also the circumstances surrounding the death of a child.

So take that into consideration. Thanks.

The state of Texas wants to kill me. Every day I ask God why.

From Food, Dura Media and PRX, it's Latino USA. I'm Mariano Josa. Today the state of Texas versus Melissa Lucio.

The first Latina to be put on death row in Texas and the effort to stop her scheduled execution next month.

It's early February, a group of protesters is standing on the sidewalk outside the Cameron County courthouse in Brownsville in South Texas.

Back in 2008, Melissa Elizabeth Lucio was brought here and what happened inside this building forever changed the lives of the Lucio family.

We're here from Melissa.

Happy execution. Listen to the community. Listen to the people.

The people gathered here today are holding black signs with white lettering. They read free Melissa Lucio.

They're also carrying a banner with a huge photo of Melissa on it. She's in an off white prison uniform.

Melissa looks tired. The wrinkles on her face are distinct. Her dark brown hair is slicked back into a ponytail. Her brown eyes are staring straight ahead.

She is an innocent woman. She's not guilty of the death of my baby sister, Mariah Elizabeth Alvarez. No, she is not.

That's John Vincent Lucio, live streaming the protest on his phone. He's the eldest son of Melissa's 14 children.

Melissa, who today is 53 years old, is scheduled to die because of the death of her two-year-old daughter, Mariah Alvarez.

15 years ago, on the evening of February 17, 2007, paramedics were called to Melissa's home because her baby girl was unresponsive.

Later, Mariah would be pronounced dead at the hospital. Her body was found covered in bruises.

My mother is innocent. I wouldn't be traveling over 800 miles Friday, Saturday, and Sunday to visit my mother, which takes me about eight hours to get there.

Just to see her for two hours, I would not be doing that for her today if she wasn't innocent. She is an innocent woman.

As if in morning, John is dressed in all black. His shirt is another sign. On the front, it says, free Melissa Lucio.

He has a shaved head and tattoos that run along both of his arms. He's 32 years old, and his mom has been on death row for almost half of his life.

Now, he's worried he might lose her forever.

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