Police are still looking for the person responsible for a double shooting that killed a Louisville woman and critically wounded a 2-year-old girl. Earon Harper was found shot dead in her home late Thursday afternoon, with her daughter, Erica Hughes, bleeding from several gunshot wounds, nearby.
Despite being shot multiple times, little Erica Hughes survived through the night while police worked through the night looking for the person who killed her mother in front of her, then turned the gun on Erica.
Meanwhile, family members try to cope with their grief. "How can you imagine something like that happening?" said Earon's mother, Judith Harper. "It's terrible."
Family friend Beverly Harris -- often referred to as Erin's second mother -- said Erin was a good person with a "a good heart, a big heart. Earon was just one of my kids."
Maybe having two mothers made her such a great one to her four children. "Earon loved her kids," Harris said. "She loved them kids."
Erica somehow survived several gunshots, but she was still fighting for her life a day after the shooting. "She's still not out of the woods," Harper said. "But they say she's gonna make it."Police still didn't have any suspects Friday, but it wasn't because of lack of effort or desire. "The whole unit is throwing themselves at this," said Louisville Metro Police Detective Lt. Steve Green. "This baby's been shot for no reason whatsoever. Obviously, that cuts at your heart."
Police say they are following leads and making progress in finding a suspect, but that progress can't come too soon for Earon's mother. "Just come and tell us why," Harper said. "Have the decency to say a word to us."
For now, Harper can only focus on taking care of four children, who still have a grandmother, but no mom.
"There's no words to describe this," Harper said. "We had no idea anything like this would happen. And we love her very much, and we'll take care of the kids and do the best that we can do."
Police are following all leads, but tell us the nature of the crime means it could have been a domestic dispute.
Anyone with information that could lead to a suspect is urged to call the crime tipline at 574-LMPD.