PORTAGE PARK — Relations of a 35-year-old pregnant girl killed throughout a home violence-related taking pictures Thursday in Portage Park say her child survived however is now hospitalized and struggling to remain alive.
Edith Castrejon was shot within the chest inside a basement condo within the 5800 block of West Newport Avenue simply earlier than 5 a.m. Thursday, in keeping with police and Ald. Ruth Cruz (thirtieth), whose ward covers a lot of the Portage Park neighborhood.
Yoselin Barcenas, Castrejon’s sister-in-law, mentioned Castrejon was six-months pregnant when she was killed. The newborn is at the moment “preventing for its life,” Barcenas mentioned. The newborn has a 25 p.c likelihood of survival, in keeping with a police report obtained by the Solar-Instances.
Castrejon additionally had three different youngsters, Barcenas mentioned.
Police have a male suspect in custody, Cruz mentioned. The alderwoman mentioned she was informed by police the taking pictures occurred throughout a home violence incident.
In line with the Solar-Instances, police are interviewing a 42-year-old convicted felon as an individual of curiosity within the case.
Castrejon and the person being questioned lived collectively, in keeping with the Solar-Instances. The person informed police the gun went off when it was below a pillow and Castrejon tried to maneuver it, the Solar-Instances reported.
Barcenas has created a GoFundMe to boost cash for Castrejon’s youngsters.
Barcenas described Castrejon as a “laborious working girl,” within the GoFundMe. A former colleague of Castrejon mentioned she “was a lioness for her youngsters.”
Simply two months in the past, Lacramioara Beldie, 54, was killed in Portage Park after she was granted an order of safety in opposition to her estranged husband. Her husband allegedly fatally stabbed her whereas out on GPS digital monitoring.
Home violence deaths in Illinois elevated 110 p.c in 2023. Of the 120 home violence-related deaths that occurred within the state that yr, 82 concerned weapons.
A invoice that may make clear the method of confiscating an individual’s gun when they’re served a home violence order of safety handed the Illinois Senate final week and is headed to Gov. JB Pritzker for closing approval.
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