Breastfeeding Mom Exchanges Gunshots With Home Intruders
Days after a breastfeeding mom was wounded in a shootout during a home invasion, one of the armed men has been charged with attempted first-degree murder.
Semantha Bunce, a 21-year-old mother of two in Charlotte, N.C., was nursing her 4-month-old son, Bentley, last week when two men barged into her home. Bunce, a combat medic in the National Guard, reacted swiftly. Her first move: protect her son. “Not a scratch is on him. She brought the matter away from him and definitely protected him,” Semantha’s husband, Paul Bunce, told WCNC. “She laid him down in the crib upstairs in our room. He was safe there.” The couple’s 4-year-old daughter, Bailee, was at school.
STORY: Mother of Four Fends Off Armed Burglar at Work
After putting Bentley down, Semantha grabbed her gun and confronted the intruders, who opened fire. Semantha shot back. “I think it was a shock to the intruders as much as it was to her,” Paul told WBTV about the shots his wife exchanged with the criminals before they fled.
Semantha Bunce with her 4-month-old son, Bentley. (Photo: Semantha Bunce/Facebook)
Semantha suffered multiple gunshot wounds but is recovering well, according to WSOC. “She’s doing fantastic. She’s a warrior,” one of her neighbors told the station. “She’s still beat up but she’ll make it out.”
STORY: Military Mom Returns From War to Discover She Must Fight for Custody of Kids
On Friday, Semantha posted an update to her Facebook page. “I would love to personally thank each and every one if you for your support during this time,” she wrote. “No words can truly express the amount of gratitude I share for each of you during this time of utter tragedy. To those family members and friends who traveled near and far to be with me and support me during my time of recovery, to those strangers whom I’ve never met who have taken their generous time to donate and to support my family during this time as well, I appreciate you all equally! Thank you, thank you, thank you for all the undying support.”
On Saturday, one of the intruders, 23-year-old Reca Latur Dawkins Jr., turned himself in. He is being charged with attempted murder, felony breaking and entering, and conspiracy to commit felony breaking and entering, according to WSOC. He will appear in court on Tuesday. Police are still looking for the second intruder.
Paul, a medical technician, started his job only three months ago, so his full benefits have not yet kicked in, and the family’s medical bills will be costly. Two different fundraising sites have been launched to help the Bunces bear the financial burden. One, a YouCaring site, was created by Paul’s coworkers and has raised more than $6,000. And a GoFundMe site has raised more than $39,000. The latter was started by Semantha’s friend and fellow soldier, Hollie Ritchie. “[Semantha] is an amazing person, mother, wife, friend and soldier. Would do anything for anyone and would quite literally give you the shirt off of her back if you needed it,” Ritchie wrote on the site. “A majority of this money will be used for medical bills since that will be the biggest cost, including her ambulance ride, surgeries, various doctors that have treated her, medications, stay in ICU and the hospital as well as post-hospital follow up visits to her regular doctor. Unfortunately the doctors (and their bills) do not end once she is released and goes home. … I can’t even begin to imagine what they are going through. However, I do know that when a friend, especially a fellow comrade, needs help then you do exactly that.”
Top photo: Semantha Bunce/Facebook
Please follow @YahooParenting on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest. Have an interesting story to share about your family? Email us at YParenting (at) Yahoo.com.
