A pregnant teenager has been left devastated after losing her baby and her pregnant best friend to an alleged domestic violence-related shooting in Buckeye, Arizona. Abby Krebs, 17, was shot in the back on May 14, causing the premature birth and subsequent death of her child. Her three-months pregnant best friend, Rylee Montgomery, 16, was also killed in the attack.
Details of the Incident
The shooting is believed to have been tied to domestic violence, following weeks of threats allegedly made by Montgomery's baby's father, Michael Sanchez, 18. Police arrested Sanchez at the scene, and he is facing three counts of first-degree murder. A second man, Anthonio Tequida, 19, was also arrested for allegedly acting as Sanchez's getaway driver and is charged with hindering prosecution.
Events Leading to the Tragedy
According to a GoFundMe page set up by the family, the tragedy unfolded after Montgomery and her friend Myah Hembree, 22, visited Krebs' home to spend time together. The family stated that Montgomery and Sanchez had been arguing for most of the day, and Krebs believed that being with her friend would keep her safe from her ex-boyfriend. Police reported that Sanchez arrived at the home around 8 p.m. and opened fire when the three girls went outside to speak with him.
Krebs recounted that before the shooting, Montgomery had told Sanchez she wanted to leave him and was scared he would kill her, as he had threatened to do so many times. Sanchez allegedly used the location app Life360 to track Montgomery to Krebs' home. When he arrived, all three girls went outside to help Montgomery talk to him. Krebs said she then heard a gunshot and saw her best friend fall to the floor. She alleged that Sanchez then pointed a gun at her and Hembree and opened fire, striking her in the back. Krebs survived by crawling into a pile of rocks near her home for cover, while Sanchez continued firing at Hembree.
Injuries and Aftermath
Hembree was placed in a medically induced coma on a ventilator and has been hospitalized for three weeks since the shooting. She suffered massive trauma to her internal organs, had her spleen surgically removed, and developed a lung infection. Her family described the weeks since the shooting as an absolute nightmare, watching a vibrant young woman fight for her life.
Krebs was also hospitalized with a gunshot wound to her back and nearly lost one of her legs. Doctors performed an emergency C-section on her six-month-old unborn baby, who tragically died six days later. Krebs named him Timothy Rylee in honor of her best friend who was killed. She expressed her devastation, saying they were preparing for a baby shower but now have to plan a funeral instead.
Krebs and Montgomery had been best friends for a long time and were both excited to be pregnant together. They often said their children could be best friends and grow up together. Sanchez and Tequida both pleaded not guilty at their arraignment.
