Pregnant California Mother and Unborn Baby Killed in Canoga Park Shooting as Suspect Faces Murder Charges

A 22-year-old pregnant mother and her unborn baby have died following a shooting in Canoga Park that also left her older sister injured.

Adriana Jimenez was sitting inside a black Toyota Camry with her 24-year-old sister, Maria Fernanda Jimenez, outside their apartment on August 23, 2026, when a gunman approached the vehicle and opened fire, according to police. The shooting occurred in the 8300 block of Northgate Avenue shortly before 8 a.m.

Adriana was approximately 16 weeks pregnant and was already the mother of a 6-year-old daughter. Her family said she was declared brain-dead following the shooting and remained on life support for nearly two weeks. On September 4, her family announced that she had been taken off life support.

The decision marked a significant development in the case. Although Adriana had previously been described as brain-dead, her family’s announcement that she was taken off life support confirmed that she had died following the devastating injuries she suffered in the shooting.

Her unborn baby also did not survive. On September 9, the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office amended its criminal complaint against Walter Francisco Rodriguez Garcia, adding murder charges for the deaths of both Adriana and her unborn child.

Garcia, a 30-year-old Gardena man according to the latest Los Angeles Times report, had initially been charged with three counts of attempted murder after the shooting. He pleaded not guilty to those charges. Court records indicate he had not yet responded to the newly filed murder allegations at the time of the report.

Maria Fernanda was also struck by gunfire. A bullet hit her throat and shoulder, but her family said it narrowly missed major structures, including her vocal cords and jugular vein. She was reported to be recovering and is expected to survive.

Family members said Adriana had been looking forward to celebrating her 23rd birthday on September 11 and was preparing to hold a gender-reveal celebration for her unborn child. Her sudden death has left relatives devastated, while the family has also been dealing with medical, funeral and potential repatriation expenses.

Police arrested Garcia two days after the shooting. Investigators said the suspect approached the parked vehicle and opened fire on the two sisters. According to family members and police, Garcia was the former boyfriend of one of the cousins who was with the group around the time of the shooting. Authorities have not announced a motive, and the investigation remains ongoing.

The case has now shifted significantly from an attempted-murder investigation to a homicide prosecution involving two additional alleged victims. Garcia remains entitled to the presumption of innocence unless and until the murder allegations are proven in court.

For Adriana’s family, the tragedy has left behind a 6-year-old daughter and a future child who never had the chance to be born, as relatives continue seeking answers about why the shooting happened.

Source: NY Post