Six-year-old Veronica Moser-Sullivan was one of the 12 victims of the Batman massacre in Aurora, near Denver – and on Sunday her young mother, who was seriously injured in the attack, was given the heartbreaking news.
Upon hearing of her daughter’s death, Ashley Moser screamed "I want to die" according to The Daily Mail.
Ms Moser, 25, who is pregnant, was sitting next to Veronica during a midnight screening of The Dark Knight Rises on Thursday night when a gunman stormed into the auditorium and opened fire.
Tragic: Veronica, aged just six, had recently learnt to swim
She was hit in the stomach and throat, leaving her unconscious and in a critical condition.
Miraculously, her unborn child has survived.
Ms Moser’s brother, Robert Sierra, told The Daily Mail: “I don’t know how, but she still has the baby. Yesterday I was told she had lost it and today it’s OK. It’s a miracle as she was shot in the stomach.”
A memorial for the victims across the street from the Century 16 movie theater in Aurora
At first Ms Moser’s relatives were reluctant to tell her about Veronica in case it made her fragile condition even worse.
But when she came round and was eventually given the terrible news she was understandably devastated and in complete shock.
"She took it very badly," grandmother Jean Moser told The Daily Telegraph.
Veronica was described as excitable and vibrant and had just learnt to swim, her relatives said.
The other 11 victims were 26-year-old navy veteran Jon Blunk, student AJ Boik, 18, sports journalist Jessica Ghawi, 24, sailor John Larimer, 27, cinema-worker Matt McQuinn, 27, Subway sandwich worker Micayla Medek, 23, bartender Alex Sullivan, 27, psychology graduate Alexander Teves, 24, Air Force reservist Jesse Childress, 29, businessman Gordon Cowden, 51 and 32-year-old Rebecca Wingo.
Suspect James Holmes is due to appear in court today, but it could takes months before his trial begins.
A Sunday prayer vigil in Aurora for the victims of the mass shooting
Aurora authorities have said that so far he has not been co-operating and has yet to given any reason for carrying out the massacre.
On Sunday President Barack Obama visited the families of the victims.
He described the shooting as a “heinous crime”.
President Barack Obama talks to Aurora Police Chief Dan Oates
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