Baby born at 28 weeks just before mom dies from gunshot wound

A baby girl born at 28 weeks has survived the road rage shooting incident that took the life of her teenage mother.

Key Takeaways:

• A 17-year-old pregnant teen, a passenger in a vehicle, was shot during a road rage incident in Louisiana in August.

• The teen's baby girl was delivered by emergency C-section at 28 weeks and survived, but her mother did not make it.

• The shooter has been charged with second-degree murder and attempted murder, along with other charges.

The Details:

According to a press release posted by the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office on social media, 18-year-old Katelynn Strate of Ponchatoula, Louisiana, was a passenger in a Ford Expedition SUV during a road rage incident on North Hoover Road on August 24. 

The driver of the SUV and another vehicle, a silver Dodge truck, were reportedly “brake checking”, “tailgating,” and driving erratically as they traveled on North Hoover Road in Ponchatoula.

An adult male in the Dodge truck fired a gun into the SUV and Strate was struck in the head. The driver of the SUV immediately called 911 and drove straight to the North Oaks Health System in Hammond, Louisiana.

Strate's baby was delivered at 28 weeks via emergency C-section on Sunday, August 24 at 9:28 a.m.; shortly afterward, Strate died from the gunshot wound she received during the road rage incident.

According to a news report, Strate's baby, a girl, is currently being cared for by her great-grandmother and is doing well.

Comments on the Sheriff's office's Facebook page suggest that road rage incidents have occurred frequently on that stretch of North Hoover Road. The Sheriff's office is requesting reports of prior incidents of similar road rage by a silver Dodge truck be officially submitted to the department, in addition to details about the incident that killed Strate.

The driver of the silver Dodge truck, 54-year-old Barry West, has been charged with one count of 2nd Degree Murder, three counts of Attempted 2nd Degree Murder, Illegal Use of a Weapon, and Obstruction of Justice. The three counts of attempted murder correlate with the driver of the SUV, another passenger, and Strate’s preborn baby.

Further Information:

A GoFundMe page has been established to help with the funeral and medical expenses for the deceased young mother and immediate expenses related to her baby. Over $50,000 has been raised so far, including a generous anonymous $10,000 donation.