A baby boy was successfully delivered on Christmas day after his mother was shot and killed in Tucson, Arizona.
Tragedy struck 19-year-old Jasmine Vega and her boyfriend Anthony Rivera when shots were fired into their home around 4:30 a.m. Jasmine was six months pregnant with Rivera’s child when she was struck by the bullets.
Family members were woken up by the sound of Jasmin screaming and quickly called 9-1-1. Arriving officers found her unconscious. She was later pronounced dead at the hospital.
“I heard her screaming. She screamed for me. I touched her side and I felt a lot of liquid. I jumped up immediately, turned on the light, and I saw blood,” Rivera, who was sleeping next to Jasmine, told KGUN9.
“I didn’t know how to react. I called my mom screaming, told her to call 9-1-1. I tried to give her CPR, pounding her chest, having her in my arms, screaming at her: ‘Don’t leave me, I need you. Our son needs you!'”
Despite Vega succumbing to her injuries from the shooting, doctors managed to save her baby boy. “All I was thinking was, ‘I wish your mom was right here to see you,'” Anthony explained to Fox 6.
“We were just wrapping presents (Sunday) night. She was happy to be a mom. She wanted a baby so bad,” Angelina Ruelas, Rivera’s mother said.
“She was amazing, fun, loving, outgoing, big heart,” Rivera added.Officers believe that several rounds were fired into the house, but have not released any further details about the shooting. No suspects have been identified at this point.
“At this time, there are no suspects in custody. Additional details will be released as they become available. Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call 88-CRIME. You can remain anonymous,” the Tucson Police Department posted to Facebook.
For this family, Christmas will always be remembered as a time of loss and pain, as well as the miracle birth of a little child.
The latest reports indicate that the baby is currently in critical condition. Pray that he would pull through!