Diamon Eichelberger, a young pregnant mother, was fatally wounded by several gunshots in front of a convenience store in Kansas City as she was strolling with her boyfriend and her daughter.
The 20-year-old victim and her 14-month-old toddler, Belle, went to the local 7-Eleven outlet shortly before noon but was shot a couple of times by an unknown man in a gray automobile.
Even though none of the shots hit the infant, the baby was quickly brought to the nearest medical institution for examination.
UPDATE: 19-y.o. Jovon Burrell has been charged w/ 2nd-degree murder in this case. In addition to other many other pieces of evidence, he posted "Fu** a succa bitch she dead she dead" shortly after Diamon's homicide on his Facebook page.
— kcpolice (@kcpolice) July 22, 2020
According to one of the people that were present to the unfortunate event, what happened could be described as “It’s just crazy, it’s just sad” and “it’s like a domino effect” since now her child had to grow up without their mother.
Thelma Rowell, a close relative to Eichelberger, described her as a very positive person, who was “always happy, even when she was going through things, she was always happy.”
The unsolved crime is just the latest murder in the city, as the count of killings in Kansas City reached 106 since the beginning of the year.
KC's 105th homicide: a woman pushing a baby in a stroller in the parking lot of 7-11 at 27th & Van Brunt about 11:30 today. The baby (> 1 year old) does not appear to be injured. Someone fired at the mom from a vehicle, & she died at the scene. Investigation is happening now.
— kcpolice (@kcpolice) July 20, 2020
The mayor of the city, Quinton Lucas, who in the past has tried to take measures against the rise of homicide cases through his collaboration with the FBI, talked publicly about the demise of Eichelberger and expressed hope that the murderer will be caught.
Lucas also stated that even though the criminal was still free, there were leads to be followed and that everyone needed to do whatever possible so tragedies like that one could be prevented.
Two people were arrested in relation with the killing, one of them was charged with murder. Jovon Burrell, 19, was charged with second-degree murder by the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office.
The family of 20-year-old Diamon Eichelberger says she loved being a mom and was 5 months pregnant. She was killed Monday while pushing her daughter, Belle, in a stroller outside a 7-Eleven. Her family's pain is unimaginable. Gofundme: https://t.co/8pefum695n @kmbc pic.twitter.com/hHTnOp4jUR
— Emily Holwick KMBC (@EmilyKMBC) July 21, 2020
Burrell has reportedly admitted to being the driver of the vehicle. Before the arrest, he allegedly made a Facebook post that featured a gun and him saying in a video, “{sic} f— a succa b—- she dead she dead.”
He was in the car with his younger brother and an unknown man in the back seat, and he said this person is responsible for the murder.
Eichelberger’s aunt, Erica Mosby, told local media: “I wanted them to feel something close to what we feel. I know that homicide is so common in Kansas City and lives are being taken so much that to some people it’s just another life. To the murderer, it’s just another life, but I wanted them to feel some, some type of guilt.”
She added: “It’s almost like she just knows her mom ain’t here and it’s so crazy. But Diamond loved this baby with everything in her. Everything in her.”
A GoFundMe fundraiser set up by the family to take care of Belle’s future has raised close to $12,000 so far.
