Baby safely delivered by C-section after mum was fatally shot in the head

Katelynn Strate died from her injuries days later (Picture: Derek Reid)

The baby of a teenage girl who was shot and killed while seven months pregnant is doing ‘miraculously’ well.

Katelynn Strate, 17, was driving with her boyfriend and his sister to their mum’s home in Louisiana when 54-year-old Barry West began driving erratically around them.

After brake-checking and tailgaiting the trio, Strate’s boyfriend passed West’s car – and he opened fire, lodging a bullet in the back of Strate’s skull.

West told police he thought the car Strate was riding in had fired a gun at him first, but no weapon was found in the vehicle, and the expectant mother was rushed to the hospital.

Strate’s baby girl, whom she hadn’t even named yet, was born shortly before she passed away on life support, weighing three pounds and 11 ounces.

Her premature baby had her footprints taken in hospital (Picture: GoFundMe)

After her baby was delivered via C-section, the young mum’s family made the difficult decision to switch off her life support and donate her organs.

‘Her generosity will save lives, and we are immensely proud of her for that final act of kindness,’ her family said.

Katie Cancienne Liebert, a close friend of Strate’s family, said the family won’t share the baby’s name, but added: ‘We know that without a doubt she loved this baby.

‘She chose to give this baby life, and she was looking forward to being a mother.’

Katelynn and her partner held a sweet gender reveal (Picture: Facebook) Katelynn ‘chose to give her baby life’, her family said (Picture: GoFundMe)

Speaking of Strate’s partner, Liebert said: ‘They just had a dynamic where you could tell there was genuine love there. The world’s not going to be the same kind of place without her.’

Shortly before her death, Strate and her partner held a gender reveal party and were filmed laughing gleefully as they found out they were having a baby girl.

West has since been charged with second-degree murder, three counts of attempted second-degree murder and other charges, according to the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office.

After his mugshot was shared online, dozens of people reportedly told police they had run-ins with West on the road before as well.

Since her death, more than $52,500 has been raised to help pay for Katelynn’s funeral and care for her baby.

The local community also held a communal baby shower to ensure her child is well-cared for.

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