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6-Month-Old Dies After Drive-by Shooting

Jonylah Watkins, a 6-month-old infant girl, died this morning after she and her father were shot at five times in Chicago's South Side.

Jonylah Watkins, a 6-month-old infant girl, was pronounced dead at 6 a.m. today after she and her father were shot at several times outside of a home in Chicago’s South Side Monday afternoon. 

"We have another tragedy in the city of Chicago," Rev. Corey Brooks, a spokesman for the family told the Chicago Tribune.

Her father, Jonathan Watkins, 29, is in serious-to-critical condition as of this morning after being shot in his left side and right buttocks and grazed in the face by a bullet. A vehicle driving shot them while he stood at the open front passenger door of his parked minivan where he was changing his daughter’s diaper.

Chicago’s Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy says investigations are underway in the fatal shooting.

The Chicago Tribune reports

McCarthy said police had few strong leads and no good witnesses coming forward. "We don't have one individual who's stepping up to help us," he said.

McCarthy said they have only a vague description of the gunman who emerged from a gangway in the 6500 block of South Maryland Avenue shortly before 1 p.m. and opened fire. Watkins was shot as he stood by the minivan's open front passenger door changing his daughter's diaper as she lay on the seat, police said.

The gunman fled to a nearby parking lot and jumped into a blue conversion van, which sped north through an alley, police said. Police were scouring the area for surveillance footage.

McCarthy said police have video of what they believe is the getaway van, "which is helpful." He asked anyone with information to call police.

"This was another tragedy," he said. "There's going to be good days and there's going to be bad days. This was a bad day."

Family members said the girl's 20-year-old mother was at work at a McDonald's when the shooting happened. She had been shot in the leg last spring while pregnant with Jonylah, they said.

"She's very distraught, she's in a lot of pain," Brooks said this morning. "They just got married several weeks ago. This is a tough time."

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(Photo: WGN News)

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