An infant faces a 25% chance of surviving after being delivered by doctors from a five-months pregnant woman fatally shot in a domestic incident in Portage Park, according to a police report obtained by the Sun-Times.
Meanwhile, detectives continue to interview a person of interest, a 42-year-old convicted felon who she lived with. No charges have been announced for the man.
About 4:50 a.m. Thursday, Edith Castrejon, 35, was in a bedroom with the man in the 5800 block of West Newport Avenue when she was shot in the chest, Chicago police said. She was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center where she was pronounced dead at 6:24 a.m., according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.
Before she died, doctors delivered her baby at 5:48 a.m., but their condition was critical, with only a “25% chance of survival,” according to a police report obtained by the Sun-Times.
An autopsy Friday determined Castrejon died of a gunshot wound to the chest, according to the medical examiner’s office, which ruled her death a homicide.
Castrejon and the man being questioned were “domestic partners,” and the man told responding officers the two had been in bed when the gun, which was under a pillow, went off, according to the report.
“(Man questioned) believes that Castrejon tried to move the handgun and at the same time his hand was near the handgun and the gun went off, striking Castrejon in the chest,” the report said.
A handgun and bullet were found at the scene, according to the report.
The man didn’t have a FOID card and is a convicted felon with at least four prior convictions.
Court records show he was convicted of aggravated discharge of a firearm in 2006, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon in 2004, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon in 2002, and possession of a controlled substance in 2000.
The residential block lined with two flats and single family homes was quiet Friday afternoon as parents walked their kids home from school and others walked dogs.
Two people outside the house where the shooting happened declined to speak to a reporter as they took down Christmas decorations. Others moved a “Paw Patrol” blanket out of the house and also didn’t comment.
Ald. Ruth Cruz (30th) told the Sun-Times the shooting was domestic and said that Castrejon leaves behind three other children: 12, 10 and under a year old. Members of Castrejon’s family told one of Cruz’s staff members they weren’t aware of issues in the home.
Cruz planned to speak with neighbors about the shooting and the options available to residents in domestic violence or other dangerous situations. She encouraged residents to call the Illinois Domestic Violence Hotline, 877-863-6338, if they need help.
“If you see something, say something,” Cruz said Friday morning. “Lend a hand. If you see someone who may need help, it’s important to know where they can call and that there is help available.”
A GoFundMe opened in honor of Castrejon said she was a “sister, aunt, sister-in-law, cousin and friend” as well as a “hard-working, fighting woman.” It had raised $630 of the $6,500 goal by noon Friday.