Driver strikes pregnant mom, killing her. Doctors save baby, and the child's newborn photo shoot commands powerful message about DUI.



An allegedly intoxicated driver plowed into a 23-year-old pregnant woman in August, and the baby's newborn photo shoot has gone viral with a sobering message.

Doctors saved the child, named Adalyn, via emergency Cesarean section.

What's a brief history here?

As highlighted by ABC's "Good Morning America," Yesenia Aguilar was fatally struck by a vehicle operated by a purportedly intoxicated driver.

The accident took place Aug. 11 as the pregnant woman and her husband were walking hand-in-hand down an Anaheim, California, street. The driver, reportedly under the influence, jumped a curb and struck the woman head-on.

Aguilar was 35 weeks pregnant when the driver struck her.

First responders immediately transported Aguilar to a nearby hospital, where they pronounced her dead. They were able to save the young woman's child through emergency surgery. The child was named Adalyn Rose Alvarez-Aguilar.

Adalyn spent some time in the hospital following her urgent delivery and was placed in critical condition because of the crash.

The driver, Courtney Fritz Pandolfi, 40, was charged with one felony count of murder, one felony count of driving under the influence of drugs causing injury, and one misdemeanor count of driving on a suspended license.

Pandolfi pleaded not guilty to murder in September. She was previously convicted of driving under the influence of drugs in 2008, 2015, and 2016.

Pandolfi's bail is set at $3 million. She is due to appear in court on Dec. 11.

What about the photo shoot?

X&V Photography shared the portfolio on Facebook page on Sept. 30, where it went viral, and captioned it "DON'T DRIVE UNDER THE INFLUENCE."

A month before her death, Aguilar took part in a maternity shoot with the same photographer, Grisel Leyva, "Good Morning America" reported.

She told the outlet, "I want people to think three times — not twice, three times — before they get behind a wheel, because I feel like this little girl's life was completely torn apart."

'She's a blessing and a miracle'

Aguilar's husband, James Alvarez, said that the photo shoot was in honor of his late wife.

"My daughter, she's the last gift that my wife gave me, she's a blessing and a miracle," Alvarez said in a recent interview with "Good Morning America."

A GoFundMe account set up for the family raised more than $119,000 for the family.

Aguilar's husband, an employee at a law firm, was able to take off one year in order to care for his newborn daughter and heal their family. Alvarez said Adalyn is almost 2 months old now and doing well.

Pregnant woman killed by alleged DUI driver — her baby was delivered by C-section and went home with grieving father weeks later



A pregnant woman was killed in August when she was struck by an alleged DUI driver, but her baby was delivered by emergency C-section and went home with her grieving father weeks later.

The tragic incident unfolded on Aug. 11 in Anaheim, California.

Yesenia Lisette Aguilar, 23, was walking with her husband, James Alvarez, when a woman's Jeep jumped the curb and ran into the pregnant woman. She was 35 weeks' pregnant at the time.

On scene of a horrible story in Anaheim tonight. A suspected DUI driver in a white Jeep ran a curb, drove onto side… https://t.co/MFHNuCRy1s
— Bill Melugin (@Bill Melugin)1597210162.0

According to police, the husband attempted CPR measures on his wife before emergency services arrived. She died later at the hospital.

Doctors were able to deliver the baby girl through an emergency C-section and Adalyn Rose fought for her life for several weeks in the hospital.

On Monday, the baby girl went home from the hospital.

"It's just been a whirlwind with all of these emotions," Alvarez said to FOX 11 news.

"Losing my wife and grieving, but yet, joyful moments and happiness that I'm also going through seeing my daughter, seeing her every day, seeing her progress, and overcoming any obstacle that was thrown at her," he added.

Courtney Fritz Pandolfi, 40, was charged with one felony count of murder, one felony count of driving under the influence of drugs causing injury, and one misdemeanor count of driving on a suspended license. Pandolfi faces a life sentence if convicted of all charges.

Alvarez says that the couple had tried for two years to conceive a child and that his wife had been very excited to finally become a mother to Adalyn Rose. He said having his baby home will help him deal with the devastating loss of his wife.

"She fought for her life to the point that I'm able to take her home after what she's been through so to me, it's happiness," Alvarez said.

While DUI deaths have decreased in recent years, more than 10,000 people are killed in drunk-driving related crashes per year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Here's a local news report about the incident:

Baby of pregnant woman killed by alleged DUI driver in Anaheim goes home with her dadwww.youtube.com