9-Months-Pregnant Woman Is Fatally Shot While Picking Up Friends from Party in Case of Mistaken Identity

Three teenagers were arrested in connection with the shooting, which police say took place because they mistook the woman for someone else

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Kerisha Johnson. Photo: Facebook

Three teenagers are in custody this week after allegedly shooting and killing a pregnant woman, mistaking her for someone else.

The woman, Kerisha Johnson, 36, was "due to give birth within several days," according to an arrest warrant obtained by ABC News.

The incident occurred on Sunday when three teenagers at a party in Baton Rouge, La., allegedly opened fire on Johnson's car, telling police they mistook her vehicle for a similar car that drove by the party earlier and fired shots into the air.

Online records reviewed by PEOPLE show the three 19-year-olds – Marques Porch, Gregory Parker and Derrick Curry – are currently being held at the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison on charges of second-degree murder and first degree feticide.

It was not clear if any of the suspects have entered pleas or retained attorneys.

"It was just senseless. It was senseless," childhood friend Deanna Williams told local Baton Rouge ABC affiliate WBRZ. "Just to know she lost her life [for] nothing. She was an innocent person."

Williams affectionately called Johnson "the goofiest friend" and "a very sweet person."

"She would give you the shirt off her back," Williams said. "She was just that sweet."

Johnson was reportedly picking people up from the party when she was shot, according to reports. She attempted to flee the scene, but was struck and killed, according to ABC.

The outlet reported that an arrest warrant says that "several individuals" pulled out guns to shoot at Johnson's car as she attempted to drive away.

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The three teens arrested in connection with the shooting "all stated that they believed the white car was a vehicle from earlier in the night where [an] occupant had fired a round into the air as it drove past the teen party," the warrant read, according to ABC.

Crissina Finister, who identified herself as a friend and classmate of Johnson's, wrote in a local community Facebook group that Johnson had two other children who are now without a mother.

"She didn't deserve this," Finister wrote. "Kerisha was the nicest, sweetest person you could ever meet."