Denise, Lea Garofalo's daughter, took her own life: she was the same age as her mother when she died

United until death: Denise Cosco, daughter of Lea Garofalo, killed by the 'Ndrangheta in 2009, took her own life at the age of 35.

Her mother was the same age when she was brutally murdered by her ex-partner Carlo Cosco, Denise's father, and her body was burned and dismembered. For years, Denise was a symbol of resistance against violence and crime and continued the battle against her father begun by her mother. For years, she had to keep her face and identity hidden, courageously continuing the journey begun by Lea Garofalo.

Mother Lea Garofalo killed by former 'Ndrangheta member: her body was dismembered and burned

But in recent days, she decided to stop fighting: she jumped from the balcony and died today, after days of agony. An extreme act that came at the age of 35, the same age as her mother when she was killed. It's likely no coincidence that Denise wanted to reunite with Lea right now, from whom she had to separate at the age of 4.

After her death, Lea Garofalo became a symbol of the fight against gender violence and the 'Ndrangheta. She had decided to cooperate with justice, but her partner, Carlo Cosco, convinced her to join him in Milan, leaving the protection program she and her daughter had accessed.

And it was in Milan that the man, a member of the 'Ndrangheta, killed his ex-wife along with several accomplices, including Rosario Curcio, who destroyed her body and committed suicide in Milan's Opera prison where he was serving a life sentence. Denise Cosco, with her testimony, helped reconstruct her mother's murder.

She was born on December 4, 1991, her mother had tried to protect her and keep her away from the criminal environment to which her father belonged, a member of the 'Ndrangheta clan of Petilia Policastro, a town of just 8 inhabitants in the province of Crotone, in Calabria.

Lea Garofalo entered a protection program and decided to have her daughter change her identity. However, persuaded by her ex-partner, she joined him in Milan with Denise.

Don Luigi Ciotti remembers Denise: "A courageous and suffering woman has died, who tried to balance these two extremes of her life."

In memory of Denise Cosco, Father Luigi Ciotti wrote a moving message: "Today, a courageous and suffering young woman died. Courage and suffering represented the two extremes between which Denise's entire life revolved, the two levels of the scale that she tried so hard to keep in balance. Today, however, something in that fragile equilibrium was broken forever. Something was broken within her restless and sensitive soul," said the president of Libera and Gruppo Abele.

"And something is breaking inside us too," she continues. "In remaining faithful to the path of redemption begun by Lea, her beloved mother, Denise had to live in hiding for years, but never truly giving up, because her dream was to finally feel free and independent. Just like Lea, Denise had a great thirst for life, freedom, and love."

"We now want to imagine her reunited in a big embrace with her mother. We would like to say, 'Sorry! Forgive us for not being able to keep you here with us,' but also, 'Thank you for the time we spent together.' We don't judge her story, we don't elevate it, and we don't pity her. She wouldn't want that. Denise, you will forever remain in our hearts and our commitment," concludes Don Ciotti.