Baby Born to Shooting Victim Released From Hospital

Keniesha Pope Harden, born earlier this month just minutes before her mother died from gunshot wounds suffered in a drive-by shooting, has been released from a local hospital.

“Everything’s just fine,” said Deirdre Pope, the baby’s aunt.

“We will all help” rear the infant, she said.

Keniesha’s mother, Kentzie Pope, died on the operating table at St. Mary Medical Center early Aug. 2, just 20 minutes after giving birth to her.

Pope, 30, was the victim of a drive-by shooting that occurred late Aug. 1 in front of her apartment building on Elm Avenue. Police said they think that she was accidentally shot by gang members aiming at someone else.

Pope--who was eight months’ pregnant--was kept alive by what a hospital administrator called “aggressive resuscitation” while an emergency Cesarean was performed.

The baby, in critical condition because of the premature birth, was taken to the hospital’s neonatal intensive-care unit. She remained there until Wednesday afternoon, when she was released in good condition to her aunt.

Carolyn Cohen, a hospital spokeswoman, said Keniesha weighed 4 pounds, 6 ounces upon release.

“We’re just happy that we could get some good out of what was essentially a tragic situation,” Cohen said. “We wish we could have saved both lives.”

Family members said the infant will live in the Elm Avenue apartment with her aunt, grandmother, two sisters, ages 5 and 10, and an 11-year-old cousin.

“If it hadn’t been for our faith, we wouldn’t be as strong as we are,” Deirdre Pope said. “I’ve had lots of nieces and nephews, so this is nothing new. We’re doing OK.”

No arrests have been made in the shooting.