Tragedy struck in Saginaw, Michigan, as a young, pregnant woman was mercilessly gunned down at a Marathon gas station just after midnight, sending shockwaves through her community.
Kendall Berrington, only 19 years old and less than two weeks from her due date, was fatally shot on Court Street around 1:34 a.m. on December 31—about 100 miles northwest of Detroit. Alongside Kendall, a 22-year-old man was wounded in the same spray of bullets and remains in hospital battling his injuries.
Detective Sergeant Oscar Lopez said the crime scene was a gut-wrenching reminder of how fragile life is, describing Berrington’s death as especially devastating because she was soon to welcome her first child. The shooter, still unidentified, ambushed Kendall and her companion as they walked toward the gas station, opening fire before fleeing into the night. Investigators have ruled out robbery as a possible motive, leaving family and friends desperate for answers and justice.
The heartbroken family is reeling from the loss of not one, but two cherished lives. Kendall’s sister, Jasmine Dixon, launched a GoFundMe campaign, pleading for help with overwhelming funeral costs and ongoing support for their mother, Tammy Houck, whose health problems make this ordeal even tougher. ‘We’re living a nightmare. Kendall and her unborn son, Romen, deserved so much better. The grief is unbearable, and the financial strain just adds to our pain,’ Dixon posted online. Meanwhile, Tammy Houck poured her sorrow onto Facebook, calling out for justice and honoring her daughter and unborn grandson: ‘They were both beautiful souls, taken from us far too soon. Kendall loved fiercely and was so excited to welcome her baby boy. Neither of them deserved this.’
Just weeks earlier, Kendall had celebrated her pregnancy on Facebook, expressing her joy and anticipation for becoming a mother for the first time. Her due date was set for January 14, but her dreams were stolen by a senseless act of violence. Detectives continue to piece together what happened and are appealing to the public for any information that could help track down the killer. The stunned neighborhood is rallying around the bereaved family, vowing that the pursuit of justice won’t stop until answers are found.
