A brave New Jersey mom died trying to save her daughter from a building that collapsed in the 7.4 magnitude earthquake in Colombia, which has killed at least 281 people and injured almost 4,000 others.
Magnolia Garcia Lugo, a 57-year-old mom of three, had initially escaped the building in Roldanillo when Monday’s quake struck – but rushed back inside to bring daughter Natalia to safety, WABC reported.
Garcia Lugo, of Bergenfield, didn’t re-emerge from the building with her daughter, a recent graduate of Bergenfield High School who was injured but survived.
Lugo’s brother, a pastor, dug through the rubble, and his sister’s body was eventually found crushed by a wall.
Natalia “survived the collapse and is currently hospitalized with an arm injury,” mayor Arvin Amatorio said Wednesday.
It’s not clear how long Garcia Lugo was trapped in the rubble before being found dead.
Ana Castro, part of the dead mom’s church congregation, called Garcia Lugo’s death a “big loss.”
The girl’s father has since traveled to Colombia and a funeral for Garcia Lugo was held Wednesday.
The earthquake has killed at least 281, injured more than 3,900 and destroyed more than 10,500 homes, Colombia’s government revealed Thursday.
At least 379 people are still missing more than 72 hours after the quake struck.
More than 150 aftershocks were reported
“Unfortunately, we are reaching a point where the likelihood of finding survivors is dwindling, but our mission is to keep searching and find all those people who are reported missing,” David Tamayo, head of Colombia’s National Unit for Disaster Risk Management, said.
With Post wires
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