'She loved her kids': Family of Chicago mother of 8, murdered in June, wants justice
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A West Englewood family is grieving and searching for justice for Fredrica Coleman.
The single mother of eight was gunned down on Father's Day in front of her home. Her killer has not yet been caught.
CBS 2's Suzanne Le Mignot reports from Chicago Police headquarters with the family's story. Police said detectives are still investigating and no one is in custody.
It's unclear, why the young mother was shot, but what is clear, is that her family wants justice.
Fredrica Coleman was the single mother, of eight children.
"She loved her kids," said her cousin Rufus Carter.
Coleman was known in her West Englewood neighborhood as a person who sold home cooked meals and candy. The 36-year-old did those jobs, to set her own schedule, to care for her children.
"She loved her family, Carter added.
Coleman, who had the words, "Family First" tattooed around her neck, was gunned down in front of her home, near 64th and Marshfield on Father's Day.
"They really took our mom away from us," said her daughter Jyshae Coleman.
Coleman had gone to the store to buy groceries and was getting ready to walk into her apartment around 8:30 at night.
"Just coming home to her kids. All eight of us. Coming home to us, and now she's not going to be with her kids for something that had nothing to do with her," Coleman said.
Witnesses saw two different cars going down the street with people waving guns out the windows, but didn't see them shooting. They later heard 11 to 16 gunshots. Coleman was shot in the head, while her children were waiting for her inside their apartment.
"They're looking out the window, all they see is their mom being rolled away on a gurney," Carter said.
"They're traumatized," said her sister Catrice Smith. "Her son called me and was like, 'auntie, my mom is dead.' He was right there, holding his mom."
Coleman's sister set up a GoFundMe page to raise money to care for all eight children. The youngest, is four. The oldest, 19.
"They still cry. They miss their mom," Smith said.
Coleman's sister is now caring for her six nieces and two nephews.
"They need counseling. They need it together and I also need counseling too, to be able to provide for them," she added.
The GoFundMe page set up six days ago has received about $4,200.
