West Philly mother and baby shot days before Christmas

File Photo. 

Just days before Christmas, a family in West Philadelphia is grappling with a traumatic event after a mother and her baby girl were shot.

Family members are reeling from the incident that took place early in the morning at 1525 Robinson Street. 

Amaryiah Mathis, the victim's sister, described waking up to gunshots coming from her sister's bedroom.

"I just heard I heard a pop and that’s what made me hop up, so once I got into the room, there was blood everywhere," she said. "I called the cops." 

Police investigation underway

Philadelphia police report that a man fired at least six shots at 43-year-old Alayiah Hill and her five-month-old baby girl, hitting both in the legs. 

Neighbors expressed their shock at the violence in what is usually a quiet neighborhood.

"It’s very shocking," David Hicks said. "It’s a very quiet neighborhood. People…mostly keep to themselves, and it’s just surprising." 

"I got up this morning and I saw the news and I heard about it, especially so close around Christmastime, you know?" he added. 

What we know:

Both Hill and her baby have undergone surgery and are expected to recover.

Mathis expressed gratitude for their survival, saying, "Thank God, Thank God, because it could’ve been worse."

What we don't know:

Details about the suspect's current whereabouts or any charges filed have not been disclosed.

The Source: Information from the Philadelphia Police Department and FOX 29's Ellen Kolodziej. 

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