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Cecilia Thomas: 5-month-old baby sitting in car shot in the head after woman opens fire in Chicago

Cecilia Thomas was in her dad's car when a second car approached and opened fire at the vehicle

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS: A five-month-old baby girl became the latest homicide victim in Chicago, following which enraged residents are remanding action. On Friday night, June 24, the baby was shot in the head in Chicago's South Shore neighborhood when she was traveling with her father.

Police said that the baby, Cecilia Thomas, was killed in a drive-by shooting after an unidentified woman opened fire on the family's car. After being shot, the infant was rushed to Comer Children’s Hospital, where she later died from her injuries, Chicago Sun-Times reported.

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Another man, 41, who was traveling in a separate car, also suffered a gunshot wound to the eye. He was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center and is now reportedly in stable condition. The shooter fled the scene after opening fire. No suspects are in custody at present.

Several members of Thomas' family gathered outside Comer Children’s Hospital after the senseless shooting. “All we heard was baby got shot in the car,” said one relative, according to Chicago Sun-Times. “She got shot in the head,” a woman screamed at an officer near the emergency room entrance of the hospital. “I hope y’all catch whoever did this,” another woman yelled on her phone, adding, "Took that damn baby’s life.”

Crisis responder Andrew Holmes, who spoke to the baby's mother, described her as being "distraught" after the tragedy. "That's a five-month-old baby," he said. "Nine months she carried that baby, nourished that baby. And it takes a damn fool to discharge that weapon and take baby's life."

Addressing the shooter, he then said, "I hope you don't have no children yourself. Because if you do, you shouldn't sleep at night, you should just turn yourself here knowing you got to look at your child every night. And you done take this lady's child." "The baby rested right now, but ain't gonna be no peace with that family the rest of their life," he added.

A nurse named Jackie, who was working at the hospital when EMS brought Thomas in, described the scene as shocking. "I've never in my 61 years of life seen anything like this," she told ABC 7. "You never know what it's like to have a broken heart until you go through it." The nurse said that she had lost two of her own children to gun violence. A third child of the nurse was left paralyzed after being shot at a party.

Community activist Ja'Mal Green, who is running for mayor, has offered a $5,000 reward for information that leads to Thomas' murderer's conviction. "A 5-month-old girl was just shot in the head in Chicago. My heart breaks for this young girl & her family," he said in a statement. "I am offering a $5,000 reward NOW to someone who comes forward to give answers that can lead to an arrest & conviction! $2,500 when they are arrested, and $2,500 when convicted. It's time to get to the root of this violence so we can create a better city for our children."

Residents are calling for action after at least 20 people were shot in the city over the weekend. CBS News named Chicago the 28th deadliest city in America earlier this year. It reportedly has a murder rate of 18.26 per 100,000 citizens.