BATON ROUGE — Kimberlyn Martin was preparing to welcome her fourth daughter. Instead, her family is now preparing for her funeral after the pregnant mother she was fatally shot.
Just days before her due date, the 29-year-old pregnant mother of three, was shot and killed at her apartment complex on Highland Road Sunday morning. An autopsy confirmed the cause and manner of death for both Martin and her unborn baby were homicide due to a gunshot wound.
Her live-in boyfriend was also shot and survived. Kimberlyn, who was full-term and reportedly beginning labor symptoms the night before, never got the chance to hold her baby girl—Olivia.
“She was very outgoing, outspoken,” said her close family-friend, Chantel Williams, holding back tears. “She was a great mother. She always liked to joke around. She was very family-oriented.”
Kimberlyn was rushed to the hospital after the 9 a.m. shooting, but neither she nor baby Olivia could be saved. Her boyfriend remains hospitalized, recovering from non-life-threatening injuries. He was reportedly shot in the leg.
The tragedy has left an entire family in disbelief—and three young girls now in foster care.
“We were in shock, really”
“Saturday night, she went in, thought she was going into labor,” Williams explained. “They sent her home. She was dilating. So Sunday, she probably would have had her.”
Instead, Sunday morning turned into a nightmare. The family first learned something was wrong through a phone call from Kimberlyn’s boyfriend’s family. At first, they weren’t sure whether to believe it.
“We were in shock, really,” Williams told UWK. “We didn’t know if it was true or not, so we started calling other people. Then we got in touch with her sister, Kai. She confirmed it.”
The moment the news became real, Williams said Kimberlyn’s mother collapsed.
“She just fell to the floor. She was devastated,” she said. “She’s hurting. We all are.”
Kimberlyn was described as someone who could bring joy to any room—especially when there was gumbo involved.
“She loved gumbo,” Williams said, managing a small smile. “She always talked about it, always called somebody wanting them to make her some.”
DONATE NOW: Help family with burial costs
“I want them to catch the person that did this to my daughter.”
What led to the shooting remains unclear. Police say they are still investigating and have not released details about a motive or suspect.
“We’re hearing so many different stories too. We don’t actually know,” Chantel said. “Whoever did this… we wish they would come forward and be honest. Those kids didn’t deserve this. Kim didn’t deserve this.”
Now, amid grief, the family is working through the legal process to regain custody of Kimberlyn’s three daughters, ages 4, 6, and 9. All three girls were taken into DCFS custody after the shooting.
Kimberlyn worked in customer service and was known for her vibrant, loving spirit. Her family says she was excited to welcome her baby girl—Olivia—into the world.
Instead, Olivia was buried before she could be born.
“I’m just so hurt,” Kimberlyn’s mother Kim Owens told UWK. “I want them to catch the person that did this to my daughter.”
As police search for answers, the family asks the community to come forward with any information. Crime Stoppers is offering anonymity for anyone who can help.
For Williams and the rest of the family, justice is the only peace left to hope for.
“She didn’t deserve this,” Williams said softly. “None of them did.”
“Bye” | Her Final Message
In a chilling twist, Kimberlyn’s final Facebook post—just hours before her death—was a flood of laughing emojis followed by a single word: “BYE” with a waving hand. What was likely meant as a lighthearted or funny moment now feels haunting.
One friend commented beneath it: “Then she said ‘bye’… wow.” It’s a post that now brings chills, leaving loved ones clinging to her final digital footprint as they try to make sense of a goodbye they never expected.
Olivia | A symbol of peace
Kimberlyn had already chosen a name for her unborn daughter: Olivia. The name, of Latin origin, means “olive tree”—a symbol of peace. It’s a bittersweet reminder that even in tragedy, Kimberlyn was preparing to bring something peaceful and beautiful into the world.
If you would like to help the family with burial costs, you can donate here.
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