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A North Carolina mother of six was tragically shot and killed while she slept.
Latasha Cureton, 39, lost her life late Monday evening during a drive-by shooting.
The attacker allegedly sprayed the Gastonia, N.C., home with bullets while Cureton slept inside and her children watched a movie with her mother.
Witnesses, including Cureton’s mother and children, initially thought they were hearing fireworks before realizing it was gunfire.
“It was like an explosion,” Cureton’s daughter, who was not named in the report, told Queen City News.
“We thought it was a loud bang, like something fell in the kitchen. All of a sudden, there were multiple bangs like fireworks, but then it got louder and louder,” she said.
“We ran and took cover, shielding the babies.”
Cureton’s son found her in the front bedroom after she screamed, “I’m hit,” according to the victim’s sister.
“Then, her son saw her bleeding from her mouth,” her sister, who also remained unnamed, told WCCB Charlotte.
Realizing she had been shot, the family acted quickly, but it was too late.
Cureton’s daughter told WCNC Charlotte, "Losing your mom is just something you cannot — I don't see how people get over that.”
The family shared photos of a bullet-riddled door with several news outlets.
One photo published by WCNC Charlotte showed a light switch with a bullet hole.
Estimates suggest there were between 30 to 40 bullet holes, according to the Gaston Gazette and WCCB Charlotte. WSOC TV reported that there were 13 holes in the door alone.
At the time of her death, Cureton was planning her wedding, her friend Sydney Weave told Queen City News.
A GoFundMe campaign has been set up to help her family with financial challenges. Latasha, sometimes referred to as Tasha, is remembered as a “beloved mother, daughter, sister, cousin, niece, and friend.” The GoFundMe page reads, “She was deeply cherished and brought so much love and light into our lives. She will be missed by all who knew her.”
Cureton’s mother, Rosalie Hardy, says she lives on social security, making it difficult to raise the children on her own.
“I don’t know how we are going to make it,” Hardy told WSOC TV. Besides the financial strain, Hardy struggles with the emotional aftermath of the violence. She avoids the room where Cureton died, she told the outlet.
“I don’t want to say goodbye, but now I know I have to,” Hardy said.
The family hopes the shooter will come forward. As of Friday, June 14, no arrests had been made. Gastonia Police did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for an update.
An investigation is ongoing, and Gastonia Police are requesting anyone with information to call Crimestoppers of Gaston County at 704-861-8000.
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