Friends of Pregnant Wichita Woman Killed in Shooting Honor Her Memory

WICHITA, Kan.  — Grief and heartbreak hang heavy in South Wichita following the tragic death of 20-year-old Naomi Oglesby, who was fatally shot early Sunday morning. Naomi was pregnant at the time of the shooting, and though her life was cut short, doctors were able to save her baby. Now, her friends are left mourning the loss of a young woman they describe as bright, loving, and full of promise—while clinging to hope for the future her daughter may still have.

“She had a bright, bright plan ready for the both of them,” said Tayleahna Officer, one of Naomi’s closest friends. “She loved her, and she was going to love her to the fullest. No matter what.” Officer wore a binky on a chain around her neck—the last one Naomi touched, left behind in her car. It’s a symbol of remembrance, of a bond broken too soon, but not forgotten.

Naomi was just weeks away from giving birth. Her newborn daughter is now receiving round-the-clock care in a neonatal intensive care unit, a living testament to her mother’s love and strength.

Mallory Baima, another friend who considered Naomi “the daughter I never had,” says her loss is deeply personal. “We might not have been blood,” she said, “but we just had that connection, where it was that love.” Baima, who had FaceTimed with Naomi the night of her death, struggles to make sense of it all.

Madison Lee, who met Naomi over a decade ago in school, reflected on Naomi’s vibrant sense of humor and infectious spirit. “If you knew Naomi, Naomi would want us to move on. She wouldn’t want us just sitting around here crying about her,” Lee said. “She’s probably laughing at us right now—she’s just not that type of person.”

Laci Dooling, a fellow young mother, found solace and understanding in her friendship with Naomi. The two bonded over shared struggles during pregnancy. “It was something I had with nobody else,” Dooling said. “I felt safe, I never felt judged. I could talk to her about all the bad things—about the shame, the guilt, and the depression I was feeling.”

Now, Naomi’s friends are determined to honor her memory—not through mourning alone, but by celebrating the joy she brought into their lives and the legacy she leaves behind in her daughter.

“She was going to be such a good mom,” Officer said. “And now, we just have to make sure her daughter knows that.