Family mourns young pregnant mother killed in car crash

On Jan 7, Esmeralda Reyes, 24, killed in a car crash last week along N. Gene Autry Drive in Palm Springs. Reyes had two young children and was 9-months pregnant with her third.

Reyes' grandmother, Emma Maldonado, is still in shock at the sudden and tragic loss.

"We know that she's in the sky. Even though we know that, it still hurts us a lot," Maldonado told Telemundo 15's Marco Revuelta.

Family said Reyes was heading home on the evening of the crash with her two children, ages 2 & 3. Details on the crash remain limited, but police said Reyes died at the scene. Her two children suffered minor injuries and were hospitalized. Both have since been released.

"They are doing good," Maldonado said. "One of the girls scratched her face."

Reyes' third child was expected to arrive in the next month. They had already picked out a name, Elizabeth.

"She was going to be born next month, on the 7th," Maldonado said.

Unfortunately, Elizabeth did not survive the crash. Maldonado says that she doesn't have words to describe the pain she feels from losing both of them.

"She loved her daughters. She always had such a heart for her children," Maldonado said.

Reyes' unexpected death is a hard blow both emotionally and economically. The family is asking for the community's help to be able to give Reyes and Elizabeth a worthy burial.

"Right now we have many expenses, because one does not expect this when they are young," Maldonado said.

In these moments of sadness, Reyes' family look for strength through their faith.

"Pray for us, we need a lot of prayer," Maldonado said.

The family has launched a GoFundMe page to raise funds, and you can call Steve Barrientez at 760-569-5895 to purchase tamales that are being sold to raise funds.