Shooting Victim’s Family Wants Justice

Her grandmother found her lying in a pool of blood before watching Yanize Mora, 16, die in her arms.

Mora was holding her 2-month-old baby boy at the time who also caught a bullet.

The investigation into Tuesday’s deadly drive-by shooting in Cathedral City continues, and in the meantime, Mora’s family is speaking out on what happened.

There are six victims total.

Yanize is one of two killed.

Four others were injured.

The baby, Isaiah Mora, is recovering at Loma Linda hospital after a successful surgery on Wednesday and yet the killer or killers are still at-large.

“She was a caring, happy person,” said Irene Mora, Yanize’s aunt. “She loved her baby so much and I wish they would have known that when they decided to take her away from us.”

Family members gathered around a memorial along the sidewalk Mora took her last breath.

A bullet pierced through the back of this truck that night, but provided no protection for Yanize.

“We lost a niece, a daughter and a shinning star,” said Claudia Mora, Yanize’s aunt.

Irene and Claudia Mora grew up with Yanize and they said she was walking from a friends house that night back to her grandmother’s home down the street.

She was with her boyfriend, who was also shot but still alive, and other friends.

“It’s just something you’re never prepare for,” said Irene Mora.

Authorities said a 4-door gold or champagne colored Chevy HHR with tinted windows and stock wheels, pulled beside her, rolled the window down and asked, “where are you from?”

Shots were fired moments later and Yanize was killed.

“She always lent a helping hand to anybody and everybody,” said Claudia Mora.

The Cathedral City police are still walking up and down Asistencia Drive during the day looking for any clues or evidence that could help solve the crime.

“We want whoever did this to get caught,” said Irene Mora. “We ask that if anyone knows anything to come forward because it’s not fair what they did. They took a mother away from her baby.”

The shooting is gang related, according to authorities.

A 20-year-old man is also dead as result of this drive-by.

A 17-year-old is recovering in intensive care following surgery.

Still, the Mora family is in shock that their shinning star is gone.

“We’ve been robbed,” said Claudia Mora. “They took a precious life away. It’s hard to move forward when there’s a missing piece to a puzzle. The only way we can do it is a day at a time.”

A memorial fund has been setup to help the Mora family pay for funeral services and for the baby’s medical services.

Just head to any Wells Fargo bank and mention the Yanize Mora Memorial Fund.

Friends and family will also be collecting donations at a car wash on Saturday and Sunday starting at 8 a.m in the Sosa’s Liquor Store parking lot on Cathedral Canyon and Ramon Road.