Mom of Four Gunned Down in New York While Holding Toddler's Hand

NEW YORK -- A mom of four kids, including a blind 11-year-old girl, was gunned down on a New York street while holding her two-year-old son's hand, the New York Post reported Tuesday.

"The two-year-old keeps asking for his mom. It's just heartbreaking," the boy's father, Juba Lassiter, said.

Lassiter -- who, according to neighbors, recently separated from the victim, 29-year-old Claudia Millan -- said that he received a phone call from investigators who said that "we have to have a talk to you" but added that he did not yet speak with them.

Millan and her son walked to a store in The Bronx and were returning home when she was shot once in the head on Park Avenue between 178th and 179th streets at about 10:30pm local time Sunday, police said.

Neighbor Michael Escobar said he chatted with Millan and her toddler for a half-hour about "dogs and kids" shortly before the shooting.

Not long after Millan and the boy continued on their errand, Escobar said, there was a loud bang.

"I heard one shot. My dogs in the front yard started going crazy," he said. "I ran ... and saw Claudia on the ground with her little kid [standing] over her."

The neighbor scooped up the boy, took him inside and then went out to help Millan, he added.

"I ran to Claudia with a wet rag to try and stop the bleeding," Escobar said. "The blood was pouring out of her."

Police and medical personnel rushed to the scene, and Millan was taken by ambulance to St. Barnabas Hospital, where she was pronounced dead on arrival.