Doctors save baby girl as mom dies after being shot by her boyfriend

Kimberly Dianne Richardson, six months pregnant, was shot and killed April 18 in North Carolina. But before she died, her final act saved her preborn daughter’s life.

“Help,” Richardson said when she desperately called 911. “I’ve been shot. […] I can’t … I can’t talk […] He shot me.”

As reported by CBS News 13, Richardson was able to tell the dispatcher that she was outside behind the Triangle Town Center Mall where she worked, but over 40 seconds went by before she was able to say that she was behind Party City. Then, over 30 more silent seconds until the sound of sirens is heard.

When they reached the hospital, doctors performed an emergency c-section and were able to save the baby, named Lacy, but sadly, Richardson passed away.

Her boyfriend, Daniel Joseph Steele, is the prime suspect in her murder and was taken into custody by the police. He has been charged with murder and is being held without bail.

Maria Babar, who told News 13 she is a friend of the couple, described Richardson as a “sweetheart.”

“She would never do anything bad to anybody,” said Babar. “I would never expect him to do something like that to her because they were having a kid and it’s just mind-blowing and it’s definitely out of the blue.”

No further information has been released about Richardson’s baby at the request of her family.