Donations are pouring in for the children of a Georgia woman who died while protecting her 6-month-old daughter, who survived in a toilet for roughly 13 hours after a harrowing attack earlier this month.
Jessica Arrendale, 37, is being remembered as a hero for saving the girl’s life despite being fatally shot Sept. 13 by her husband, Antoine Davis, a 30-year-old former Marine and Iraq War veteran, in their home in an Atlanta suburb. Arrendale tried to defend herself from a drunken, bat-wielding Davis, but was ultimately overpowered and struck several times, police said. The couple’s 6-month-old daughter, Cobie, also suffered traumatic head injuries and may also have been hit with the bat during the incident.
READ: Young Mother Shot To Death While Trying to Protect Baby Who Spent 13 Hours in a Toilet
But it was what happened next that Arrendale’s loved ones say showed her devotion to her child. Seeking refuge in a bathroom, the mother shielded the baby until Davis stormed in and opened fire with an assault rifle, Arrendale’s mother, Teresa Ianniello, told WSB Radio. Somehow, Arrendale was able to drop the tot into the toilet, where she remained out of Davis’ view and ultimately survived for 13 hours, Ianniello said.