Calif. mom Eleni Tavau allegedly stabbed to death in front of kids by ex

A California man allegedly stabbed his ex-girlfriend — who had a restraining order against him – to death in front of their two young children as she prepared to escape the abusive relationship by moving to Nevada.

Police responding to a report of a stabbing about 3 p.m. Sunday discovered Eleni Tavau, 30, with multiple stab wounds and unresponsive at her home on Natividad Road in Salinas, cops said.

“Her two toddler-aged children were present when officers arrived. Officers rendered medical aid to Tavau before she was transported in grave condition to a local hospital, where she died of her injuries,” police said.

At 5:30 p.m., Rodrigo Bravo, 32, walked into the police station, confessed to the killing and was charged with murder, felony child endangerment, violation of probation and violation of a domestic violence restraining order, according to authorities.

“My sister Eleni Tavau was stabbed to death by her kids father,” a GoFundMe page says “She left behind 3 beautiful children. Our goal is to give her a proper burial back home in Samoa.”

Tavau’s younger brother told KSBW that she had told him hours before her death that she wanted to leave the area.

“We were talking on the phone, and she was telling me that she wanted to move out here to Reno, Nevada, to come be with me and bring the kids over here and just so that we can be closer together,” Alex Carr, told the outlet.

“She started telling me how he started getting abusive, verbally, mentally and then physical, and she made it seem like, just didn’t want anything to do with him,” he said. “I don’t understand why. I don’t understand how somebody could do something like that.

Police spokesman Brian Johnson said the restraining order the victim took out was for domestic violence.

“So it’s not magic, but it does work majority of the time. But these are the unfortunate situations, and now a senseless murder occurred because of whatever his reasoning was,” Johnson told KSBW,

Bravo was being held on $1 million bail.

Police asked anyone with information about the incident to call Detective Pete Gomez at 831-758-7162. If you wish to remain anonymous, you may also call the Salinas Police Department anonymous tip line at 831-775-4222.