CASTLE ROCK, Colo. (KDVR) — An expecting Castle Rock mom passed away and also lost her unborn child at the end of January, and her family is still waiting for answers to learn exactly what happened.

“There were complications. She passed away and the unborn child passed away, too,” said David Chavez, a friend of Sandra Martinez’s family.

Sandra passed away at a hospital on Jan. 29. Her husband, Jesus Castruita Ramirez, said she felt like something was wrong, so she went to the hospital and passed away within just a few hours.

“It’s hard for me and hard for my kids,” said Ramirez.

At the time, Martinez was five months pregnant. They didn’t know yet the sex of the baby.

“I think of her, and it makes me sad but happy because she’s somewhere she always wanted to be,” Kaylee Martinez, Sandra’s oldest daughter, said.

Sandra’s autopsy isn’t expected back for another eight weeks or longer. The family hopes that once they find out what happened, it’ll help bring some closure.

“It’s unexpected and a big surprise, and when this happens, a lot of us don’t have savings ’cause we’re paying for things that are expensive,” Chavez said.

Chavez’s daughter, Maria, is best friends with Sandra’s youngest daughter, Karen Martinez. They went to Castle Rock’s Cantril Preschool four years ago. When Sandra passed away recently, Maria wanted to help the family with a fundraiser for her friend. She focused on raising $7,500 for a tombstone.

“I’m helping my friends raise money,” Maria said.  

On March 26, Maria hosted a fundraiser event at Wrangler Park in hopes of raising enough money for the family tombstone. Dozens of people showed up. 

Kaylee hopes they raise enough money to add a photo of her mom on the tombstone.

If you’d like to donate you can here via the GoFundMe.