RIO RANCHO, N.M. — Rebecca Lussow says she will never forget the phone call she got when she found out her daughter, Desirae Lussow, was shot by her boyfriend while driving to Rio Rancho with their children.

“She was my only daughter for one, I had four boys and she was my daughter,” Rebecca said. “Just a very beautiful girl, she was amazing. She loved her children so much and she loved life.”

Police say Desirae and her boyfriend started arguing in the car when Pablo Padilla got an AR-15 rifle and shot her in the head. Then he dropped her off at the UNM Sandoval Regional Medical Center.

“It’s just a tragic, horrific way to end your life, you know?” Rebecca said. “Somebody just took her away from us. Now my grandkids have to grow up without their mother.”

Her family is now left with photos and memories as they move forward from this tragic event.

“She just loved to be around her children, always teaching them, always spending time with them doing crossword puzzles, coloring, she was always at the table with them,” Rebecca said.

Rebecca is trying to get custody of her grandkids while also planning her daughter’s funeral and making sure the children get the care they need after what they witnessed.

“Just trying to keep them busy, just comfortable and not even bring it up, and they seem to be adjusting, seeing that they are still small,” Rebecca said. “The three-year-old, he brings up his mom a lot… they were pretty close.”

They have a GoFundMe set up for expenses. Lussow says the support and prayers are keeping the family going.

“I have so much support, I have some good family and friends,” Rebecca said. “My coworkers at work, they are all there for me and supporting me and doing everything they can. There are so many prayers that we so desperately need for me and my grandkids.”