Heidy Rivas Villanueva was sitting in the back seat of a car, parked at a shopping plaza on 103rd St. on the Westside when she was struck in the head by a stray bullet.
In an exclusive interview, First Coast News reporter Troy Kless spoke with the grieving mother of the 7 year old the day after the tragedy.
The girl's mother, Beatriz Villanueva, doesn't speak English but her friend, Yoselin Guerra, translated her words for her.
"Part of her is gone," Guerra said. "She doesn't know why the person went to her car and started shooting. But she knows her little girl is with God right now."
Beatriz was shopping for a barbecue at El Tapatio market Saturday. Heidy and her two-year-old sister were sitting in the car with their father.
"When I was paying, my husband ran inside and screamed 'they killed my little girl.' When I went outside, she was already in his arms and he started running towards the hospital."
The heartbroken mother said Heidy loved to play with dolls and was looking forward to starting first grade on Monday.
Villanueva said Heidy had dreams of going to college and getting a job so her mother wouldn't have to work anymore.
The family moved from Honduras nearly four years ago to get away from the violence there, hoping for a better life.
"We only brought her to the United States only for them to kill her," Guerra translated to First Coast News.
Heidy's family is now planning her funeral, with hopes to bring her body back home to Honduras. They asked for the help from the community in doing so by creating a GoFundMe account.
Villanueva says they are grateful for the many strangers helping her bring her back home.
"Physically, her daughter is not with her, but in her heart in mind, she'll always be with her," Guerra concluded.