Mother Speaks Out After Losing Family In Triple Fatal Accident

A metro family is mourning the loss of two family members, their daughter Shannon West and her one-year-old daughter Ruby Fields.

West and Fields are two victims of a triple fatality accident that occurred at Reno and Rockwell.

A young mother, her boyfriend and their one-year-old daughter were gone in an instant. And the family is now left to grieve, while trying to make plans for funerals they never imagined.

"Just her being here was the best birthday gift I could have had, and in this case it was the last night I got to see my family," said Lessie Barnes, the mother and grandmother of two victims killed in Monday night's crash.

In late March, Shannon West and her one-year-daughter Ruby Fields visited their mom and grandma Lessie Barnes for her birthday. They had a picnic outside, and then said goodbye.

That would the last memory Lessie would have of her only daughter and granddaughter. Until days later, she saw an image of Shannon's yellow Chevy cobalt on TV. She immediately called Shannon. No answer. So, Lessie called the police.

"It wasn't ten minutes later, the police were here talking to me and I knew she was gone," said Barnes.

Police said Shannon, her boyfriend Jason Fields and their daughter Ruby were hit by 22-year-old Demetrius Price, while driving at the intersection of Reno and Rockwell. Shannon and Jason were pronounced dead at the scene and Ruby later died at the hospital.

"Really I feel like an empty box, I'm not a mother anymore, I have no grandchildren anymore, I just feel like my whole life my whole heart and my whole soul has just been ripped out," said Barnes.

Now, Leslie and family have to plan two funerals and warn that it's not worth the risk to get behind the wheel when you shouldn't.

"You just realize how much you appreciate what you got and you never know when your time is coming. I shouldn't have to bury my daughter,” said Barnes.

Price is awaiting formal charges, but is being held on three counts of manslaughter and driving under the influence.

The family said no one in the accident had any insurance at all. So, putting on those funerals may be tough.

If you would like to help the family visit their Facebook, or Go Fund Me page.