Baby Born To Murdered Woman Dies From Lung, Blood Infection

A baby born seven weeks premature to a woman who was fatally shot last week in an Orting convenience store has died.

The baby boy died late Friday night at Children’s Hospital in Seattle from a lung and blood infection, hospital spokesman Dean Forbes said.

The mother, 23-year-old Debbennie Bernard of Tacoma, was shot in the head April 8 by her ex-boyfriend, Bradley Lorne Roehl, Pierce County investigators said. Roehl then took his own life as he was cornered by police.

The mother died in surgery at Harborview Medical Center two hours after giving birth to a 4-pound boy.

An autopsy on the child will be performed by the King County medical examiner’s office.