Tragic Loss: 20‑Year‑Old Mother Killed by Stray Bullet in South LA Home

In the predawn hours of Sunday, around 3:40 a.m., a quiet home on the 400 block of West 103rd Street—just west of the 110 Freeway—was shattered by a single gunshot that would end a young life.

Maria Luisa Barrios, only 20 years old and a mother to a one‑year‑old daughter, was found dead on her bedroom floor. The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed that the bullet was stray—fired from the street outside her house and never meant for her.

Police say the shooter stood on the sidewalk, opened fire, and fled before anyone could react. No other residents were injured. A witness reported seeing a man in a red shirt sprint away, but officers have yet to confirm whether he was the gunman or simply a passerby.

The cause of death, according to the Los Angeles County medical examiner, was a gunshot wound to the head. Investigators are still searching for the suspect, and they have not released a description.

Barrios’ family, most of whom live in Guatemala, is left reeling. A GoFundMe page set up in her honor describes her as a “loving mother” and asks for help covering funeral costs, repatriation to Guatemala, and the care of her baby daughter, who now faces an uncertain future.

“With all of her family living in Guatemala, there is little local support available,” the campaign notes. The fundraiser hopes community donations will fill that gap and give the child a chance at stability.

The incident adds another painful note to a city already grappling with gun violence. The LAPD urges anyone with information to come forward, hoping to bring some closure to a devastated family.