A memorial to his parents, killed by a drug cartel in Mexico, is tattooed on the chest of Adali Gutierrez. He was also shot; the scar near the final A in "Maria" is from gunfire.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times

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Yasmin Gutierrez, 17, left, looks at messages on her cellphone, while sister Roxanna, 5, and brothers Adrian, 15, and Adali, 20, right, watch television in their two-bedroom El Monte apartment.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times

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Dinner is a family affair, with Guillermo Gutierrez, 18, sister Yasmin, 17, and brother Adrian, 15, from left, working together in the kitchen.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times

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Yasmin Gutierrez brushes the hair of her sister Roxanna. Yasmin bathes her sister every night, brushes her hair and puts her to bed.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times

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Adali Gutierrez scoots his sister Roxanna in while sitting down for dinner with brothers Guillermo, center, and Adrian.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times

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Adali Gutierrez and sister Yasmin, from left, wait to buy groceries at a small market.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times

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Adali Gutierrez smiles at the group of people he supervises for the El Monte Police Department's community cleanup division. He drives them to areas of town where they pick up garbage or pull weeds.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times

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Adali Gutierrez helps one of the people he supervises for the El Monte police.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times

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A tired Adali Gutierrez rests his head in the family apartment while taking a lunch break from work.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times

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A small shrine to them in their children's apartment includes a portrait of Maria and Guillermo Gutierrez Sr.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times

http://framework.latimes.com/?attachment_id=44851

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Yasmine Gutierrez yawns before going to sleep as her brother Adrian does his homework in the bedroom they share with their sister Roxanna.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times

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After his sisters go to bed in the room the three share, Adrian Gutierrez moves to the kitchen to continue his homework.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times

http://framework.latimes.com/?attachment_id=44853

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