The tragic and heartbreaking story of Zaiylah Bronson, a 19-year-old pregnant Wichita State student, has left a community in mourning. Zaiylah’s life was cut short by a horrific incident that shocked those who knew her as she was allegedly strangled by her boyfriend Alexander Lewis. The details of this devastating event, as well as the promising life that Zaiylah lived, paint a picture of a young woman full of dreams and aspirations that are now gone too soon.
The family of a pregnant Wichita State student who was apparently strangled by her boyfriend over the weekend is mourning her loss, describing her as a “living soul with dreams, desires, and a love to share.”
Zaiylah Bronson, 19, was found dead in her boyfriend Alexander Lewis’ car last Saturday, according to police records seen by People.
Lewis, 22, charged with murder, was taken into custody that morning, according to Sedgwick County Jail records. He is being held on a $500,000 bond.
The Wichita Eagle was informed by Taronza Bronson, Bronson’s mother, that her daughter had just found out she was expecting a boy. According to Taronza, her daughter was 16 and a half weeks pregnant at the time of her death.
The mother claimed that several weeks earlier, Bronson had traveled about three hours northwest to Leavenworth, Kansas, to personally inform his mother of the news. According to Taronza, “She came all the way here to surprise me.”
The mother commented: “She was thrilled. She refused to tell me the baby’s name because she wanted it to be a surprise when he was chosen.”
According to Bronson’s mother, they spoke on the phone almost every two days, in addition to visiting to see each other often.
According to her mother, Bronson excelled in school and joined the powerlifting team at Lansing High School in Lansing, Kansas. She also ran track. She apparently graduated high school at age 17 a year early and will enroll at Wichita State in 2021.
On Saturday morning, Wichita police began searching for Bronson when a member of Lewis’ family called police to express suspicion that he had hurt his girlfriend, local news outlet KWCH reported.
Bronson was found by officers shortly after 11 a.m. local time and quickly found dead in the trunk, according to police records reviewed by PEOPLE.
“The depth of pain that domestic violence causes its victims and their loved ones is unimaginable,” Bronson’s godmother Dawn Wilson said in a GoFundMe set up to help the family with funeral expenses. We must work together to solve and stop such tragedies because no one should ever have to experience such torment.
A funeral service for Bronson was scheduled for Thursday morning in Leavenworth.
Zaiylah Bronson’s story is a painful reminder that domestic violence continues to affect individuals and families around the world. It highlights the urgent need for awareness, support, and resources to prevent such tragedies from occurring. As the community mourns and reflects on this heartbreaking loss, there is a shared hope that Zaiylah’s story will serve as a catalyst for change – a call to action to break the cycle of violence and protect those who are vulnerable.
In the midst of unimaginable grief, the memory of Zaiylah Bronson lives on as a living soul with dreams, desires, and love to share. While her life was tragically cut short, her impact lives on and reminds us all of the importance of cherishing every moment, supporting those in need, and working tirelessly to create a world where such senseless losses are prevented.