DOWNERS GROVE, Ill. (WLS) — A 30-year-old pregnant woman has died after being found with apparent-sharp force trauma in an apartment fire in the west suburbs on Monday night, Downers Grove police said.
According to police, Eliza Morales resisted the suspect at her doorstep in the 2300-block of Ogden Avenue as he attempted to get inside, upset over some sort of argument.
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Nedas Revuckas, a 19-year-old Westmont man, faces first-degree murder, robbery, arson, and aggravated cruelty to animal charges in connection with the incident.
Police said Revuckas tried to rob the young mother, who was set to have a girl in March.
“Eliza was six months pregnant, visibly pregnant. Whoever did this knew she was pregnant and didn’t care,” a relative said.
Downers Grove police and fire crews responded to the fire just before 6:10 p.m. Monday.
Morales was taken out of the building and pronounced dead on the scene. A second person was taken to Good Samaritan Hospital for smoke inhalation.
“She was just a loving person, kind person. She would take her shirt off her back for anyone,” said Angelica Silva, the victim’s mother-in-law. “We’re in shock. We can’t believe that type of evil exists like that.”
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Silva, speaking with ABC7 over the phone on Tuesday night, said she was taking care of Morales’ 1-year-old daughter in her apartment in a neighboring building when the attack was caught on camera.
“I can’t imagine, type of monster bandit, what he was thinking. She was over five months pregnant, and you do this to a pregnant woman?” said the victim’s niece, Diana Varela.
Family members say they believe Morales was home alone and cooking dinner when her attacker knocked on the door. She worked in the payroll department of a children’s hospital.
“She was just very sweet, a very kind person,” one relative said.
The victim’s husband, Gabriel Morales, was at work when he got the call that his wife and unborn baby were gone.
“I’m going to spend the rest of my life missing her. I can get every second back with her, and just continue try to live through her for my daughter. And continue to be strong for my family,” he said.
Morales’ cause of death will be determined by the DuPage County Coroner’s Office.
Some other residents have been displaced by the fire, and the incident has left the neighborhood in shock.
“It’s been a lot uproar, and people are take it out, as you can see. The building is boarded up pretty good,” Deb Culbertson said.
Police are treating the incident as a homicide investigation. The DuPage County Arson Task Force and the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal are also involved in the investigation.
Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to call the Downers Grove Police Department at 630-434-5600.
Revuckas will be transported to DuPage County Jail and is due in court on Wednesday. Prosecutors are expected to reveal more details about what happened.
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