HOUSTON – A mother and her unborn child who were killed at a birthday party will never be forgotten.
That’s the message Autumn La’shay Vallian’s loved ones brought back to the Sunnyside park where her young life was cut short.
At Margaret Jenkins Park, where the barrage of gunfire abruptly ended a birthday celebration Saturday morning, loved ones of the 21-year-old who was killed, along with her unborn son, Ameris, returned to celebrate their lives.
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Thursday night, a huge crowd released yellow balloons to honor the victim’s favorite color, which they say was also a symbol of her bright spirit.
“It’s definitely been a very tough time for all of us. Tragedies like this are never expected,” said Vallian’s father, Andrew Vallian. “It’s just been great for all of us to actually come together to embrace each other.”
At 1:14 Saturday morning, Houston police say Shot Spotter technology detected 36 shots that blazed through the crowd.
“It wasn’t meant for her, she was just there,” said Vallian’s aunt, Enitra Pickett-Johnson.
One stray bullet fatally struck Autumn as family says she was running towards her mother to protect her.
“Literally, when I hear people say that on the news ‘my baby didn’t deserve that. She was at the wrong place at the wrong time,’ I always felt for them but to literally feel this? Cause that was our perfect baby,” said another aunt, Erika Pickett.
Known for her bright smile, being someone who everyone loved, always put family first, and rarely going out to parties, it will be the sweet memories that live on in their hearts.
“She’s known as a daddy’s girl, she was my sweet baby,” Andrew said.
As far as the shooting investigation, officials say a total of five people were shot. Two of the injured were believed to be suspects.
HPD says they are still looking for more possible suspects and asking for anyone with information to come forward.
Vallian’s funeral is set for Saturday.