ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Friends and family of a murdered pregnant mother went door-to-door Thursday looking for tips on who killed her.
Imelda Francois, 21, died Monday afternoon in Pine Hills in a drive-by shooting in which two children were also shot.
“We really appreciate all the support and prayers,” said Emelia Lemaine, Francois’ cousin.
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She and about a dozen loved ones gathered in the neighborhood Thursday morning. They held hands, prayed and canvassed the neighborhood.
Lemaine said investigators have received several tips since Monday's shooting. They encourage anyone who knows anything about the shooting to call deputies.
“Any tips will help us to get justice for Imelda,” she said. "At this point, we're just looking for justice."
Group members said they’ll go door-to-door every day if they have to until the case is solved.
"This is not just a regular person we're just going to have just swept under the rug," Lemaine said. "No, her name is going to be out there, and it's always going to be justice for Imelda until there's an arrest."
RIGHT NOW: Friends and family of Imelda Francois, who was killed in a drive-by shooting in Pine Hills earlier this week, are getting ready to go door to door and distribute fliers in hopes of finding her killer. #WFTV pic.twitter.com/awJxGF9fUd
— Field Sutton (@EFieldSutton) July 19, 2018
Right now they’re placing fresh balloons at the memorial that has sprung up at the site where Francois and her children were shot. #WFTV pic.twitter.com/3emR5Ctb3W
— Field Sutton (@EFieldSutton) July 19, 2018
The shooting happened at about 2:30 p.m. Monday on Gamble and Dunsford drives. Six people were in a car when the shooting happened, deputies said.
Read: 'Justice will be served,' says cousin of pregnant woman fatally shot in Pine Hills
Francois, who was driving, was killed. A 13-year-old girl, Dyanna Laurent, was shot in the arm and a 22-month-old, Kameren Williams, was grazed by a bullet, deputies said. Francois’ boyfriend and two other children were also in the car, but they were not injured, deputies said.
"It appeared that the suspect vehicle was pursuing the (victim's) vehicle and targeted the vehicle for whatever reason," Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings said Monday.
Francois died at a hospital, deputies said. Dyanna and Kameren remain in the hospital and are expected to survive, deputies said.
"I'm here on my birthday," Lemaine said. "It doesn't feel like a birthday to me."
A $5,000 reward has been offered for information that leads to an arrest. Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call Crimeline at 800-423-8477.
Read: $5K reward offered in search of gunman who killed pregnant Pine Hills mother
Cox Media Group
