Pregnant 19-Year-Old Survives Shot in the Head, Still in Critical Condition
The 19-year-old pregnant woman who was shot in the head in broad daylight last Sunday is in critical but stable condition.
Tytianna Sparks was shot twice in the head outside her house near Howard Avenue in Brownsville, New York. The gunman is still at large. According to Sparks' mother, Ruth Sparks, the victim went through a four-hour surgery and is expected to survive.
Furthermore, the victim's relatives said that her fetus is also in a stable condition, NBC New York reported. Sparks is already five months pregnant when the incident happened.
According to NYDailyNews, the shooting occurred around 12:40 p.m. on Sunday outside Sparks' home on Dean Street. The gunman fled on foot toward Howard Avenue after the shooting. Medics, on the other hand, quickly rushed the victim to Brookdale University Hospital, as she was fighting for her life.
Her mother shared that she was picking up some gifts for a baby shower when she heard the news from her husband. Her sister Corrine Sparks, on the other hand, breathed a sigh of relief. "When I got there they said she's conscious, she's all right. The baby's all right and God is good because it could've been the other way around. It could've been her and the baby dead," said Corrine.
Meanwhile, her mother said that the shooting is likely a case of mistaken identity. "It's crazy. She was innocent, she was definitely innocent," said Ruth. Louis Leak, a neighbor of the victim, also shared details regarding the shooting.
"When I came downstairs I heard a lady screaming. She was laying between two cars and she didn't look like she was alive to me. She was already bleeding out," said Leak.
The motive for the shooting still remains a question mark for investigators as there was no clear reason that would merit Sparks to becoming a target. The New York Post reported that the victim's Facebook page was all filled with posts and videos regarding her pregnancy.
Sparks posted, however, some articles regarding random incidents of violence in Brooklyn, which she condemned.