Baby in critical condition after pregnant mom is murdered by boyfriend

Media reports indicate that a 17-year-old girl who was eight months pregnant was fatally shot by her older boyfriend last weekend. The girl's baby was delivered early following the incident and is currently in critical condition.

Key Takeaways:

• 17-year-old Jariah Edwards was fatally shot, allegedly by her older boyfriend, Trevon Williams.

• Edwards was eight months pregnant at the time. Her baby was delivered by emergency c-section and is currently in critical condition.

• Williams is facing felony charges of murder and attempted murder.

The Details:

The teenage victim, Jariah Edwards, was reportedly visiting San Diego from Arizona and was staying in a short-term rental with her family. Her boyfriend, Trevon Williams, allegedly traveled from Arizona separately and surprised her at her vacation rental. There, he fatally shot her before fleeing the scene. Media reports and press releases give conflicting information about Williams' age, reported as both 19 and 21.

"Officers arrived within minutes and located a 17-year-old female suffering from a gunshot wound to the head. The victim, who was approximately 32 weeks pregnant, was found unresponsive," police said. "Officers immediately initiated life-saving measures for both the victim and her unborn child. Paramedics transported the female to a local hospital where an emergency cesarean section was performed. The newborn remains in critical condition. Despite life-saving efforts, the mother died at the hospital."

Police later found Williams "hiding" and also recovered a semi-automatic handgun. Williams is currently facing charges of both murder and attempted murder. According to Law & Crime, "The young man showed up unexpectedly [in the middle of the night] with flowers and then shot the mother-to-be when she came outside to get them, according to family and friends."

Zoom In:

Edwards' friends and family say she was excited about becoming a mother. “She was so excited. I feel like it gave her something to look forward to," one friend told AZ Family.

Her aunt confirmed she was looking forward to welcoming her baby, saying, "She recently just started growing into herself and becoming who she's supposed to be." 

“[Edwards'] legacy is that her daughter is going to be everything she wanted to be and so much more, and she should be proud of that," Edwards' aunt said.

Sadly, homicide remains a leading cause of maternal death, and many of these instances are domestic violence situations.