Pregnant mom crossing street killed in hit-and-run: Cops
Share this @internewscast.com

Left inset: Rosalinda Vaca (Waukegan Police Department). Right inset: Michelle Heidbrick (GoFundMe). Background: The intersection of Grand Avenue and Jackson Street in Waukegan, Ill., where Rosalinda Vaca allegedly killed Michelle Heidbrick in a hit-and-run crash on Sunday night, Sept. 21, 2025 (WGN/YouTube).

A pregnant Illinois mother crossing the street with her fiancé was struck and killed by a woman in a Land Rover, who claimed to police she was unaware of what she had hit, according to local investigators.

It wasn”t until after the woman allegedly saw reports about the victim’s death that she realized it was a person, cops say.

“All I heard was a smack,” recounted Charlie Walkanoff, fiance of victim Michelle Heidbrick, in an emotional interview with local CW affiliate WGN.

“Next thing I knew, she’s rolling down the street,” Walkanoff said, crying. “They hit my baby so hard. I was trying to yell to get people to call 911, and someone stopped, and they did.”

Rosalinda Vaca, 49, is charged with leaving the scene of an accident involving death, a felony, following the Sunday night hit-and-run incident in Waukegan, according to online court records. Her black 2016 Land Rover SUV was seized by police and is currently being examined as part of the ongoing investigation, as reported by the Lake and McHenry County Scanner. Heidbrick’s unborn baby was also killed.

Police reportedly questioned Vaca about the incident, and she allegedly admitted to knowing she struck something on Sunday night in the area of Grand Avenue and Jackson Street, but claimed she was unaware of what it was.

It wasn’t until after Vaca caught wind of Heidbrick’s death in the same area that she realized what happened, according to police.

“She just turned five months on Sept. 19,” Walkanoff told WGN about the couple’s unborn child.

“My baby didn’t deserve to die that way,” he said.

Vaca reportedly turned herself in to Waukegan police on Tuesday after hearing the news. A witness allegedly identified her and the Land Rover she was driving on Sunday night when she collided with Heidbrick as she was crossing the southbound roadway of Grand Avenue, according to WGN. The witness confirmed that Vaca allegedly did not stop and continued driving.

Heidbrick leaves behind an 18-year-old son who reportedly just started college. Her sister said in a GoFundMe description that Heidbrick was “pronounced dead at the scene from the injuries she sustained.”

Heidbrick’s family told WGN that they are “absolutely heartbroken” by what happened and are awaiting the results of the investigation to see if additional charges will be filed.

Vaca was behind bars Wednesday awaiting her detention hearing.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

Tragic End for 11-Year-Old Connecticut Girl as Family Faces Murder Charges

Family members of an 11-year-old Connecticut girl, whose body was discovered in…

Downtown Theft: Homeless Woman Arrested for Alleged Purse Snatching Incident

Staff Report GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Authorities took Una’dreen Jones, 48, into custody…

Shocking Road Rage Incident in NSW: Hit-and-Run Leaves Men Hospitalized

Two men have been seriously hurt, a boy is in hospital, and…

Crucial Date Set to Be Announced for Lehrmann Rape Case Trial

Former political staffer Bruce Lehrmann’s court bid to avoid facing a rape…

New York Couple and Minor Face Charges for Alleged Child Abuse Involving Four Children

A couple from New York, along with an unnamed minor, found themselves…

Convicted Felon Allegedly Blames Burglar After Girlfriend is Fatally Shot in Doorway: Police Report

An Alabama woman tragically lost her life in a shooting incident allegedly…

Lawsuit Alleges Group Home Neglected Man’s Fatal Health Complaints

Inset: James Stewart (Michael Hill Trial Law). Background: A building for Clear…

Educator Detained Following Incident Involving Students Consuming Her THC Edibles, Authorities Report

Share An Indiana high school teacher is facing legal trouble after two…

Unraveling the DOJ Dilemma: Pam Bondi Faces Challenges in James Comey Investigation

Left: President Donald Trump walks to board Air Force One at Naval…

Justice Served: Triggerman Deceived in Catfish Murder of Teen Faces Sentencing

Inset: Cynthia Hoffman (Anchorage Police Department). Background: Kayden McIntosh at his sentencing…

Trio Detained and Vehicles Confiscated Following Reckless Driving at Adelaide Club Gathering

Authorities have detained three individuals and confiscated two vehicles following an alleged…

Off-Duty Officer Faces Scrutiny After Allegedly Shooting Man 17 Times in the Back: A Deep Dive into the Incident

Insets, from left: Atlanta police Officer Gerald Walker (APD) and Linton Blackwell…