Family mourns loss of 16-year-old, wants suspect to come forward

UPDATE: A male juvenile suspect is now in custody and being held for investigation of first-degree murder following the N. Atchison Way shooting, according to the Denver Police Department.

A mother in Westminster is planning a funeral for her 16-year-old daughter after she was shot and killed in Denver.

The teenager was shot Wednesday night while she was sitting inside a vehicle in a Montbello neighborhood.

After speaking with the mother, Wendy Cortez, revealed her daughter, Aaliyah, had died from her injuries on Thursday morning.

"I just want to wake up and hear her voice again," Cortez said.

When chatting with CBS News Colorado she expressed how much she missed her daughter.

"It is not supposed to be like this, we aren't supposed to be burying our babies, they're supposed to bury us when we are old," Cortez cried.

Denver police officers responded to a shooting on the 4600 block of Peoria on Jan. 11, around 6:20 p.m. 

The incident initially occurred in the 5400 block of N. Atchison Way, but an initial call came from 4600 N. Peoria, where the victim was transported from. 

Authorities reported, a juvenile female was pronounced Thursday morning as Denver police say it's currently investigating this case as a homicide. So far, no arrests have been made. 

"My daughter did not deserve this, she did not deserve to die…It is just so hard because now I can't tell her to be careful, call me when you get home or I love you," said Cortez as tears ran down her face. 

According to the mother, Aaliyah was a passenger in the car with her older sister, Jenny. The car was stopped when a man came to their window, fighting to open the door and a gun was put to Jenny's head.

That's when Aaliyah decided to step in and attempted to disarm the suspect to protect her sister.

"Aaliyah felt like she needed to help her sister because that's the person that she was. When she saw that gun her first instinct was to swat it or get it out," Cortez said.

She says the suspect never let the gun go, which ultimately resulted in Aaliyah being shot. 

Now, the family demands justice as they want to find their daughter's murderer immediately for peace of mind.

"I don't think this kid meant to kill my daughter, but he needs to come forward, it is just going to be bad for you, if you don't," Cortez said.

Denver police say there are no further updates at this time.

Anyone with information is asked to call Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-STOP. 

A $2,000 reward is being offered for information as tipsters can remain anonymous.