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Father shares memories after daughter and grandson's death

Posted at 8:36 PM, Feb 26, 2019
and last updated 2019-02-27 08:32:42-05

TUCSON, AZ — Pacing back and forth, Eddie Vega has more questions than answers.

In December 2017, his 19-year-old pregnant daughter, Jazmine Vega, was killed in a drive-by shooting while she was laying in bed, next to her boyfriend.

RELATED: Pregnant 19-year-old woman shot and killed from outside her home, baby survives

"She was a happy person, you know? I did what I could do to guide her and make her smile, I did my best."

Vega drove from his home in El Paso, Texas shortly after hearing his eldest daughter was killed and the baby she was carrying was still fighting to survive.

"I wanted to see him. I knew that my daughter had passed and I just wanted to care for him at that time."

Tadeo Eddie Rivera Vega survived, though he still had stage four bleeding to the brain.

Vega says medical staff told the family, baby Tadeo would not live long. He passed away at 14 months while in hospice care on Monday.

He says he held his grandson as he was taken off life support.

"It was around 3:15 when the heart started slowing down, it was 3:29 and 50 seconds when he took his last breath. That's when my heart actually broke."

In the span of a year, Vega lost his daughter and grandson. Now, he says his youngest daughter is who gives him the inspiration to keep going.

The Tucson Police Department continues investigating the case. This week, they will travel to Maricopa County for the autopsy and speak with the medical examiner on the baby's cause of death.

They ask anyone, with even the smallest piece of information, to contact them. You can do so anonymously by dialing 88-CRIME.