An 18-year-old pregnant woman has been left paralyzed after being shot during an armed robbery while meeting someone she connected with on Snapchat. Angel Jones, from Ohio, was 26 weeks pregnant when the shooting caused life-changing injuries and sent her into premature labor. Doctors are now working to keep her unborn baby in the womb as long as possible, while uncertainty remains over whether she will ever walk again.
Details of the Incident
According to police reports, Angel and her 19-year-old boyfriend traveled to Greenway Avenue in Toledo, Ohio, to meet a person they had connected with on Snapchat. A man dressed in black approached their vehicle and attempted to rob them at gunpoint. The suspect pointed a firearm at the boyfriend and demanded money. A struggle ensued, and the boyfriend tried to push the weapon away. The gun fired, striking Angel.
The bullet narrowly missed her unborn baby but shattered her arm, tore through her chest, and caused a severe spinal injury, leaving her paralyzed from the waist down. The gunshot also induced premature labor at 26 weeks.
Family's Account
In a GoFundMe appeal, Angel's mother, Brandy Jones, described the horrifying moment. She said: 'We need the world to know about the incredible bravery of Angel's boyfriend. During the robbery, the gunman pulled the trigger while holding the weapon directly to his head. In a desperate act to protect his pregnant girlfriend, he fought back and tried to wrestle the gun away. The gunman fired to kill him, but missed, and the bullet shattered Angel's arm and tore into her chest instead.'
Brandy added: 'The bullet shattered Angel's arm, traveled directly into her chest, and lodged there before surgeons could remove it. The blast injury caused a devastating fracture to her 12th vertebra, leaving her spinal cord severely traumatized. Right now, Angel is completely paralyzed from the waist down with zero movement in her legs. Doctors are entirely unsure if she will ever walk again.'
Emotional Toll
Brandy noted that paralysis had always been one of Angel's biggest fears. 'Now, she is facing that reality while under immense stress, worrying constantly about how she will care for her newborn baby from a wheelchair,' she said.
Medical Challenges
The trauma sent Angel into early labor, and doctors have been working around the clock to slow her contractions. Brandy said: 'While they have managed to gap them out, they are treating this as an emergency situation where the baby will likely be born very early. Angel is being given aggressive medications to rapidly develop her baby boy's brain and lungs. He currently weighs just 1 pound, 9 ounces. Every single day he stays inside her is a miracle.'
Due to her pregnancy, Angel's pain relief options are limited. She cannot take anti-inflammatories or certain steroids and has not been able to eat since Saturday, despite being awake and speaking.
Fundraiser for Support
A GoFundMe campaign has been set up with a goal of $50,000 (£37,290) to help cover Angel's recovery and future care. The funds will go toward accessible modifications to her parents' property, adaptive parenting support, living and medical expenses, and a cash reward for information leading to the arrest of those responsible.
