Five teenagers are facing murder charges after a 5-year-old girl was tragically killed in a drive-by shooting. The young girl, Galilea Samaniego, was struck by a rifle bullet while she slept in her babysitter’s mobile home trailer in New Mexico. The intended target of the shooting was the babysitter’s grandson, as part of an ongoing feud over a girl. The suspects have been charged with murder, conspiracy, and other related offenses.
The New Mexico police have identified one of the suspects as Sencheray Renee Hernandez, 19. The other suspects include her 17-year-old boyfriend, his 15-year-old brother, a second 15-year-old boy, and a 16-year-old boy. According to the police, the teenagers were in two stolen Kia Soul vehicles when they entered the Vista Del Sol mobile home park on August 13. Gunshots were fired from at least one of the vehicles toward the trailer where Galilea and her family were sleeping.
The babysitter, who woke up to the sound of gunshots, discovered Galilea had been shot and was unresponsive. Despite being rushed to the hospital, the little girl tragically succumbed to her injuries. The girl’s mother revealed that she was unaware that the babysitter’s grandson lived in the mobile home trailer. However, she knew he had been in trouble with the police. She speculated that he might have been the intended target of the drive-by shooting.
During the investigation, the grandson informed the police that he believed the 17-year-old boy was responsible for the shooting. He mentioned that their friendship had ended over a girl, and they had been involved in previous altercations. The police discovered that the suspects were connected to the shootings through video surveillance, social media, and another drive-by incident in a nearby neighborhood.
Law enforcement authorities were able to locate one of the stolen vehicles used in the shooting through its GPS. The vehicle had bullet casings both inside and outside, providing crucial evidence. The second stolen Kia Soul was found burned intentionally by Bernalillo County Sheriff’s deputies.