An Illinois family is grieving the devastating loss of a 36-year-old pregnant mother who was killed in a hit-and-run crash while walking with her fiancée.
The victim, Michelle Heidbrick, was five months pregnant when she was struck in Waukegan on Sunday evening, September 21. According to local reports, she suffered fatal blunt force trauma and later died at the hospital. Her unborn baby boy did not survive.
Witnesses told police the driver sped away after the crash. Michelle’s fiancée, Charlie Walkanoff, recalled the horrifying moment to WGN-TV: “All I heard was a smack. Next thing I knew, she’s rolling down the street. They hit my baby so hard.”
On Tuesday, police confirmed that 49-year-old Rosalinda Vaca turned herself in and admitted she had been driving. Authorities say she told investigators she thought she hit “something” but didn’t realize it was a person until she saw news coverage.
Michelle’s sister, Nicole, remembered her as “so sweet, kind, wouldn’t hurt a fly. She’d give you the shirt off her back.” She added that Michelle was excited about her pregnancy and was supposed to find out the baby’s gender the following week. Instead, Nicole said, “We had to find out through autopsy that she was having a baby boy.”
Michelle also leaves behind her 18-year-old son, who is now facing life without his mother. A GoFundMe has been launched to help the family with funeral expenses.
Vaca has been charged with leaving the scene of a crash involving death. A judge has ordered she remain detained until her trial.
Hope the truth is exposed.
Rosalinda Vaca
More of that diversity working for you!!!
Is she legal or illegal?