Murder probe launched after mother survives gunshot but her unborn Miami baby dies

The unborn baby of a pregnant woman — who showed up last week to Hialeah Hospital with a gunshot wound — has died, spurring police to launch a murder investigation.

The pregnant woman survived with a gunshot wound to her head, as did her boyfriend, who was also wounded. But the 23-week-old baby girl died after doctors performed an emergency Caesarean-section surgery.

The Miami-Dade Medical Examiner’s Office this week ruled that the baby’s death was a homicide. The cause of death: extreme prematurity, complications of the surgery and the gunshot wound to the mother’s head.

“Gun violence continued to affect our communities, and this time it has struck a pregnant woman,” Miami-Dade Police spokesman Alvaro Zabaleta said. “We urge the community to come forward and provide any information that can assist investigators in identifying the person responsibile for the crime.”

Miami-Dade homicide detectives are now working to piece together what happened. This is what they know so far:

On the night of May 27, the 27-year-old woman and her boyfriend were driving south in a BMW on Northwest 32nd Avenue, between 119th Street and 95th Street. Miami-Dade police have not yet released their names.

Another car, possibly a white Chevrolet Impala, pulled up alongside the passenger side and someone inside opened fire. The 23-year-old boyfriend was shot in the jaw and torso, the woman struck in the head.

It is unclear if the boyfriend was the intended target.

Just before midnight, the badly wounded couple managed to drive to Hialeah Hospital. Both were transferred to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center in critical condition. They are expected to survive.

At 23 weeks, the baby died at what is generally considered the low end of survivability for premature newborns. If identified, the gunman could be charged with attempted murder for the wounding of the adults, and possibly murder for the death of the child.

Anyone with information on the shooting can call Miami-Dade Police’s homicide bureau at 305-471-2400, or Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS.

This story was originally published June 3, 2020 at 2:31 PM.