Baby delivered after pregnant woman fatally shot in Chicago

Jessica D'Onofrio Image
Monday, September 19, 2016
Doctors save baby after pregnant woman killed in shooting
Doctors were able to save a baby after her mother was killed in a shooting Sunday.

CHICAGO -- Doctors saved a baby after a pregnant woman was shot and killed Sunday evening in the city's South Chicago neighborhood.

Family identified the woman as 19-year-old Parasha Beard and said she was 6 months pregnant. Beard also has a four-year-old daughter.

Beard was sitting in a car parked in the 8700-block of South Marquette Avenue around 6 p.m. when police said another vehicle pulled up alongside her and someone inside opened fire.

She was shot in the neck. A 26-year-old man who is the girl's father and was in the car with Beard was shot in the neck and chest. The Chicago Fire Department said he is in critical condition. Police said he is a documented gang member.

Beard was rushed to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where she died and the baby was delivered.

"She was a good outgoing person. She always got her goals set for herself. She was a beautiful girl, just like everybody else's kids," said Crystal Jones, the victim's mother.

Family members said the baby was named "Miracle" and she is doing well. "Miracle" was originally due in December and only weighs about two pounds.

"She is doing so good. She's breathing on her own. She's premature but her lungs are still small but right now I just wanna make sure that she don't have brain damage," said Jones.

Investigators are reviewing a police camera on the corner.

"Clearly I hope they catch the killer because there's cameras right there. They paid all this tax money so I just hope justice will be served," said Tinishia Jackson, a family friend.

"They don't have no feelings and don't care about nobody unborn child," Jones said. "All the people you would shoot and you would shoot a pregnant woman."

The family believes this is retaliation for an ongoing dispute with neighbors on the block where a memorial is growing.

"I lost one. That's real tough for me to get over then he blessed me with another one," Jones said.

No one is in custody in connection with the shooting.

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