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20-Year-Old Mother Killed by Stray Bullet Through South LA Window

Family has launched fundraising to repatriate her body and support her 1-year-old daughter.

Overview

  • A bullet fired from the street passed through a bedroom window and struck 20-year-old Maria Barrios Ventura as she slept, killing her early Sunday and leaving her boyfriend and infant unharmed.
  • The Los Angeles County medical examiner identified the victim as Maria Barrios Ventura and listed the cause of death as a gunshot wound to the head with the manner ruled a homicide.
  • LAPD South Bureau homicide detectives say multiple rounds were fired from outside, a witness reported seeing a person in a red shirt flee, and no suspect has been publicly identified.
  • The victim’s family opened a GoFundMe to cover funeral expenses, return her body to relatives in Guatemala, and provide for the 1-year-old daughter who now lacks a primary caregiver.
  • The shooting underscores how street gunfire can penetrate homes and kill unintended victims and is prompting investigators to seek leads while communities press for safety measures.