Teen Girl Dies Following Romeoville Shooting

Valle and her mother were shot in an SUV on the 300 block of Emery Avenue as they were leaving for school

A teenage girl who was shot in the head on Friday, allegedly by a previous boyfriend, died Monday, officials said.

Briana Valle, 15, was deemed brain dead at 2 p.m. Saturday at Loyola University Medical Center and died at 12:03 a.m. Monday, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office.

Valle and her mother were shot in an SUV on the 300 block of Emery Avenue as they were leaving for school.

Police said the girl was shot in the head and her 33-year-old mother was shot in the neck. The girl was initially listed in critical condition and her mother was in good condition.

Erick M. Maya, 23, of 5600 Park Avenue, was charged with two counts of attempted murder, two counts of aggravated battery with a firearm and one count of unlawful use of a weapon by a felon, according to Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow.

A warrant for Maya’s arrest was signed Friday afternoon, and he was ordered held on $5 million bond Saturday.

Police say Maya and the 15-year-old girl, a Romeoville High School student, had dated in the past, but were not currently romantically involved.

Neighbors Brian Corban heard the gun shots and ran outside in time to see the mother get out of the SUV.

"She was bleeding around the chest and neck," Corban said. "We went around to the other side and tried to get the daughter up. She wasn't looking good."

Police say Maya ran away from the scene after the shooting, but was located about 2-1/2 hours later. A weapon was not recovered.

"It was point blank," Romeoville Police Chief Mark Turvey said. "They were in the car and he shot through passenger side, first the daughter then the mother. Then he fled."

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