CANOGA PARK, LOS ANGELES — A family in Los Angeles is facing an unimaginable loss after a 22-year-old pregnant mother was shot in the head while sitting in a car with her sister.

Adriana Jimenez and her sister, Maria Fernanda Jimenez, were in an alleyway outside their apartment in the Canoga Park neighborhood on Aug. 23 when a gunman opened fire.

The sisters were both struck by gunfire. Adriana, who was sitting in the driver’s seat, suffered a gunshot wound to the head. Her family later learned that she had been declared brain-dead.

Her sister also suffered serious injuries but is expected to recover, according to the family’s account. The shooting has devastated relatives who say the sisters were simply in a vehicle outside their home when their lives were suddenly changed.

Adriana Was 14 Weeks Pregnant

The tragedy became even more heartbreaking because Adriana was 14 weeks pregnant with her second child. According to her family, Adriana’s pregnancy was lost as a result of the injuries she suffered in the shooting.

“Sadly, her baby also died,” her uncle told.

Adriana was already the mother of a 6-year-old daughter, who is now facing the loss of her mother.

The family said Adriana had been looking forward to celebrating her 23rd birthday and had plans for a gender reveal on Sept. 11 for her unborn child. Those plans will never happen.

Her uncle said the hardest part for the family is seeing Adriana’s young daughter cope with what happened.

“That’s the hardest part,” he said, describing how the little girl calls out for her mother and cries for her.

Sister Also Injured in Shooting

Maria Fernanda was also seriously wounded during the attack. According to her uncle, she was shot twice, including once in the neck, but doctors expect her to recover.

The sisters’ family is now dealing with both relief over Maria Fernanda’s expected recovery and overwhelming grief over Adriana’s condition and the loss of her unborn child.

The shooting has left relatives struggling to understand why the attack happened.

Family Says Suspect Was Known to Them

A suspect has reportedly been arrested in connection with the Aug. 23 shooting, which cited the sisters’ family. The Los Angeles Police Department is investigating the case.

Adriana’s uncle said the suspected shooter was someone known to the family, making the attack even more difficult for relatives to comprehend.

“The suspect is someone who is close to the family. He is known to the family. We don’t understand why he made that decision,” he said.

Las Vegas Man Allegedly Kills Girlfriend and Her 2 Children After She Says Ex Was Better in Bed

The family also emphasized that they do not believe the shooting was connected to gangs. The uncle told that the Canoga Park shooting “has nothing to do with gangs.”

Family Remembers Adriana as a Loving Mother

Before the shooting, Adriana was preparing for another major milestone in her life. She was about to turn 23, was raising her 6-year-old daughter and was preparing to welcome another child. Her family now has to confront a future they never expected.

“We know that we have to be strong, unite as a family and move past this tragedy,” her uncle said.

But for Adriana’s daughter, the loss is much more immediate. Family members say she misses her mother and is struggling to understand why she is no longer there.

Family Seeks Help After Devastating Loss

Adriana’s family has created a GoFundMe fundraiser to help cover the costs of either cremating her remains or returning them to El Salvador, where Adriana and her sister are from.

The fundraiser describes Adriana as a loving mother whose 6-year-old daughter will now have to grow up without her. The family said the child should never have to experience such a devastating loss at such a young age.

As the LAPD investigation continues, relatives are left mourning a young mother whose life was abruptly changed by a violent shooting.

Adriana’s family had been preparing to celebrate her birthday and reveal the gender of her unborn child. Instead, they are now facing an unimaginable loss and trying to support the young daughter she leaves behind.

What are your thoughts on this heartbreaking tragedy? Share your message of support for Adriana’s family in the comments below.