A pregnant woman was sitting in a car outside her Long Island home when someone walked up and shot her multiple times, killing the woman and her fetus, police said Sunday.
Milagro G. Canjura, 31, had been badly injured when police responding to a 911 call found her outside her Bay Shore home shortly before 9 p.m. on Saturday, Suffolk County police said.
"The officers and rescue personnel noticed that the female was pregnant," said Detective Lt. Kevin Beyrer. "Efforts were made to save the woman and the baby. Both died at the hospital."
Canjura was pronounced dead at Southside Hospital in Bay Shore.
A memorial set up outside Canjura's home continued to grow Monday, filled with teddy bears and flowers.
Friends said Canjura's husband has been in jail for weeks, and she would often read his letters in her car for privacy.
When neighbor Maria Martinez heard the gunfire, she said she rushed outside and found Canjura slumped behind the wheel of her Toyota Camry, still holding the unopened letters.
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It wasn't immediately clear why Canjura's husband had been arrested.
Canjura's roommate, who asked not to be identified, said the expecting mother had just found out she was carrying a girl.
"She was already buying baby shoes and stuff," said the roommate, who had been planning a surprise baby shower for Canjura. "I would tell her, 'You're going to spoil your daughter so much,' because she just wanted a baby so bad."
Police didn't say how far along in her pregnancy Canjura was.
