A newborn baby, who had survived for a week, has tragically died following the murder of her 17-year-old mother, Jalaiah Edwards, outside an AirBnB in San Diego.
Edwards was reportedly shot by her ex-boyfriend, Trevon Williams, 19, while on a family vacation on May 30.
Prosecutors allege that Williams traveled eight hours from Arizona to San Diego, discovered where Edwards was staying, and used DoorDash to draw her away from her family.
At the time of the incident, Edwards was approximately 32 weeks pregnant.
She was taken to a local hospital, where doctors performed an emergency C-section in an attempt to save the baby, but sadly, Edwards did not survive.
The newborn girl remained in critical condition at Rady Children’s Hospital for about a week before also passing away on Sunday.
The San Diego Police Department expressed gratitude to the hospital staff for their efforts in caring for the infant.
Authorities noted that the baby had suffered a severe brain injury due to lack of oxygen, resulting in minimal brain activity.
An online fundraiser has been established to support Edwards’ family, with loved ones stating that her mother and sister did all they could to care for the newborn.
According to the fundraising organization, Jalaiah’s family is enduring deep grief and challenges, and the contributions will help cover medical expenses.
As of Monday, the fundraiser had raised nearly $12,000 toward a goal of $20,000.
In a heartfelt tribute shared on Instagram, family and friends honored Edwards, describing her as a person who brought light to those around her. One mourner remarked, “Life will never be the same without you.”
Police became aware of the shooting incident around 1:10 a.m. on May 30 after receiving multiple 911 calls about gunfire in the 4900 block of Gardena Avenue.
Officers quickly arrived at the scene and found Edwards with a gunshot wound to the head.
Authorities later located Williams, who had fled to a nearby canyon, and arrested him around 3 a.m., finding a semi-automatic handgun in his possession.
He has been charged with murder, attempted murder of a fetus, and illegal firearm possession, to which he has pleaded not guilty.
The motive for the killing remains unclear, but police classified it as a domestic violence incident.
Prosecutors indicated that Edwards and Williams had been in a tumultuous on-and-off relationship marked by domestic abuse, and she was in the process of blocking his communications and seeking a restraining order prior to her death.
Williams may face more severe charges due to the baby’s death, which could lead to a potential sentence of death or life imprisonment without parole if convicted.
