Jessica Arrendale hides baby, "used her last breath" to shelter her infant in the toilet after her boyfriend shot her in the head. The protective mother's last act had been an act of love to save her six-month-old baby. Jessica Arrendale hides baby even as she was dying, before her boyfriend shot her and committed suicide.
According to the New York Daily News, Arrendale is from Smyrna, Ga. The story of Jessica Arrendale hides baby was told on WSB Radio Friday by Jessica's mother, Teresa Ionniello. Apparently, at the time of the saving, Arrendale had been under attack by her drunken, abusive boyfriend, who is also the father of the baby.
It can only be described as the unconditional love of a mother towards her child - when Jessica Arrendale hides baby. Even as Arrendale is suffering from a gunshot to the head, she had the presence of mind to hide her baby in the toilet, described the Inquisitr. Her heroic act of right before her death in the murder-suicide is what saved her infant's life.
When police arrived at the Atlanta home during the early morning hours on Sunday, they found 33-year-old Arrendale dead of a gunshot wound to the head. They responded to a call which said somebody in the home was armed with a gun. 30-year old Antoine Davis, the shooter, was also dead in another room, upon further survey by the officers.
According to the Daily Mail, police believe Davis shot himself and Arrendale in a murder-suicide. The police eventually found the baby safe inside the house as Jessica Arrendale hides baby in the bathroom. They rushed the infant to the hospital to have her treated for hypothermia.
The Inquisitr reported that Inniello shared the shocking and heartbreaking story with WSBRadio on Friday, almost a week after the tragic death of her daughter, Arrendale, who, in her relationship with Davis, had been a victim of domestic violence.
Inniello said that before Jessica Arrendale hides baby in the bathroom, the chaos began late Saturday night.
Apparently, Arrendale and Davis had been returning from a social outing. Davis, a former Marine veteran who toured Iraq had an argument with Arrendale and became aggressive. At the time, Davis was also intoxicated as he started yelling and beating at Arrendale.
Unfortunately, Davis overpowered Arrendale and he struck her several times with a bat which Arrendale used to defend herself. According to Inniello, there was also evidence found suggesting that the baby had also been struck with it. The baby had a trauma injury on her head even before Jessica Arrendale hides baby.
Fearing for her and her baby's life, Arrendale hid and barricaded herself in the bathroom with the six-month-old baby, Cobie. Fuelled by alcohol and anger, Davis reportedly retrieved an assault weapon with a suppressor, beat down the door, and shot Arrendale in the head.
He didn't know however that Jessica Arrendale hides baby in the toilet before she died. According to police, Arrendale contorted her body in a way which shielded the infant from view. According to the NY Daily News, Ionniello fell over the toilet instead of on to the floor.
Ionniello added that she believes Davis couldn't have seen the child in the bowl even if he intended to kill her. Arrendale's body slumped over the toilet, therefore Davis thought the child was already dead.
Davis left the bathroom and went into his daughter's room, where he committed suicide by shooting himself. At this time, police were already gathering outside the house, reports NY Daily.
Ionniello said of the incident where Jessica Arrendale hides baby, "He shot her and they (police) don't know how she was able to twist her body and fall literally in the opposite direction. She had pure will. She wanted that baby to live. She was the hero because her last breath was saving the child."
According to the Inquisitr, Georgia police arrived on the scene, but fearing there was a hostage situation, they didn't rush into the house to not jeopardize any lives. Instead, officers reportedly sent in a remote-controlled robot to obtain visuals of the scene.
The device could not descend the stairs therefore it took 13 hours before police was able to enter the home. They said they had been surprised to find the baby hidden in the toilet, and it was apparent that Jessica Arrendale hides baby to save her life.
According to a report by Fox 5, in addition to Cobie, Davis has two daughters from a previous marriage, ages 9 and 10. They were in the home during the murder-suicide.
The baby is currently still being treated at Children's Health Care of Atlanta at Scottish Rite Hospital. Ionniello plans to take custody of her, according to the Daily Mail.
Jessica Arrendale hides baby to save Cobie's life, and Ionniello said she is very proud of her slain daughter. Ionniello said, "She was the hero, because her last breath was saving the child."
To assist Arrendale and Davis' kids, a GoFundMe page has been set up by a friend of Arrendale's.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
