Mother of shooting victim: ‘Even though this monster took her from us, she’s never really gone’
By Kendall Keys and James Paxson
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FLINT TWP., Michigan (WNEM) — A grieving mother is devastated over the death of her daughter.
Alicia Jackson-Skaggs was the victim of the shooting Tuesday night in the parking lot of a Flint Township restaurant. The final act in what police are saying began as a pursuit involving her former boyfriend and his mother.
Every doctor and nurse at Hurley honored Alicia Jackson Skaggs Friday with a standing ovation.
The 20-year-old lost a two-day battle to a gunshot wound to the head and a months-long battle with what her family calls an “abusive relationship.”
“She was shot once, but literally there were at least four to six shots that went off. Only one contacted and went right into her temple and right through her head,” said her mother, Jaynee Skaggs.
Her mother remembers Alicia as a bright light. She said the light was extinguished by the time she arrived at Hurley Medical Center Tuesday night.
“It was her shell there, but she was already gone,” Skaggs said.
It was not long before she received discouraging news.
“That she had a one percent chance of pulling through this or making it. We still tried to hold on and hope that she would be that one percent because that’s how extraordinary she was,” Skaggs said.
Skaggs said on Thursday afternoon, doctors declared her daughter brain dead.
“Even though this monster took her from us, she’s never really gone. She’ll always be here,” Skaggs said.
Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton charged her ex-boyfriend and his mother in her death. Both are facing several felonies, including first degree murder.
Investigators say Deondre McLilly’s mother, Windy Weatherford, was driving the vehicle that pursued Jackson-Skaggs vehicle, and pulled the car into a position that allowed McLilly to fire multiple shots at the black sedan.
“That’s the most disgusting part of it all. How could any mother be a part of anything to do with any of that? She had several times she could have turned that car and drove away. It wouldn’t be justice for Alicia if they both weren’t charged and both pay for what they’ve done,” Skaggs said.
Skaggs said her daughter will live on through others.
“She was a donator to the gift of life, and she saved several lives in her demise. If we can’t have her, the least we could do is help as many families as we could,” Skaggs said.
The family has a GoFundMe to help with funeral expenses.
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