Teen mother-to-be laid to rest after domestic violence shooting in Buckeye
Pregnant teen, unborn child laid to rest in Arizona
A West Valley community gathered to mourn Rylee Montgomery and her unborn child, who were laid to rest following a fatal shooting in May. FOX 10's Taylor Wirtz reports.
BUCKEYE, Ariz. - The community came together Thursday to mourn the tragic loss of a teenage mother-to-be who police say was shot by her ex-boyfriend last month on May 14.
What we know:
Sixteen-year-old Rylee Montgomery and her unborn child were laid to rest on June 11.
A large crowd of family and friends gathered at Hazelton Cemetery to say a final goodbye. The graveside service was adorned with blue and white flowers—Rylee’s favorite colors.
At her grandfather's request, loved ones released balloons into the sky, sending them up to where they say Rylee is now at rest.
Police say Rylee was shot by her ex-boyfriend, 18-year-old Michael Sanchez. Her family says they tried desperately to keep her away from him and even reached out to law enforcement weeks before the shooting. They firmly believe the system failed to protect Rylee despite Sanchez's repeated threats and history of domestic violence.
What they're saying:
Rylee's best friend, one of the other teens who was shot that night, is speaking out about the tragedy.
On May 14, 17-year-old Abigail Krebs’ life changed forever. She lost her best friend, 16-year-old Rylee, who was about 14 weeks pregnant, when they, along with another friend, were shot by Sanchez.
"I wish that she was still pregnant. And I wish that I was still pregnant. I wish that our kids could have grown up together," Krebs said.
Abigail and the other friend survived, but she had to deliver her own baby, Timothy, three months prematurely. He died six days later.
"He was 1 pound, 13 ounces," she said.
Why you should care:
As Montgomery’s ex-boyfriend, Sanchez, awaits trial for shooting the teens, Abigail says many people are getting the story wrong, failing to grasp the harsh reality of domestic violence.
"She didn't want to be with him. She had tried multiple times to break up with him," Abigail said.
Abigail says Rylee came to her house that night thinking it was a safe place. Weeks prior, Sanchez held a gun to Rylee's head, but attempts by the family to get a restraining order failed.
"She was terrified. He would threaten her brothers, her mom, her dad. He would threaten to kill all of them if she broke up with him," Abigail said.
Experts say leaving an abuser is incredibly hard for anyone to navigate, much less a teenager.
"It's more difficult because they're not fully developed in the brain. They don't have the coping skills that a lot of adults have," said Gala Escareno, a case manager at Chicanos Por La Causa.
Abigail’s mother, Jennifer Krebs, believes the tragedy could have been prevented.
"There needs to be a better system in place because three young girls were gunned down in front of my house. I did lose my grandson and this could have been avoided," Jennifer Krebs said.
What's next:
Michael Sanchez's next court date is July 13.
Michael Sanchez (MCSO)
What you can do:
There is a GoFundMe for Abigail's family to help with medical bills.
For anyone dealing with domestic violence, Chicanos Por La Causa has 24-hour resources available.