A California woman who suffered devastating burns over more than 30% of her body after allegedly being set on fire at a homeless encampment has died — and her heartbroken family is demanding answers as the suspects remain free.
Frances Lopez, 33, of Oildale in Kern County, spent months in the hospital battling second- and third-degree burns after she said she was doused with gasoline and set ablaze at a homeless encampment on July 11.
Lopez underwent multiple surgeries before returning home near Bakersfield in September to begin the long, painful road to recovery.
But on Oct. 2, tragedy struck again.
Her husband, Steven, briefly left their home. When he returned, he found Lopez unresponsive, according to the family. They called 911, but it was too late.
Now her loved ones are left mourning a mother of two — and demanding to know why the people they believe set her on fire have not been arrested.
“She’s my everything… she was… still my everything. Now I’m just… lost without her,” Steven told KBAK 23.
Lopez’s grandparents, Michael and Claudia Gezzer, said they are devastated by her death and pleaded for help finding those responsible.
“Please, please, please help us to find them. They killed her,” Claudia said.
Lopez had previously recounted the horrifying July attack, saying she was visiting a friend inside a tent when three people showed up and began arguing with them over money.
“And then the guy goes out again and grabs a gas can and is like, ‘f–k it, let’s just light them on fire then,’ and threw the gasoline on us,” Lopez said in a past interview with ABC News.
“When I tried to leave, he pushed me back, and I fell on my friend’s bed. And that’s when the girl lit the flame… and we went up in flames.”
Lopez managed to escape the flames using the “stop, drop, and roll” technique before running to a nearby trailer park for help.
“I was so cold, but I was hot. I felt like I couldn’t breathe,” she said previously
She was airlifted to a specialized burn center in Fresno, where doctors had to resuscitate her twice during her transport and initial treatment.
The fire left her with deep burns across her back, legs, arms and face.
Her recovery required frequent 107-mile trips from Bakersfield to Fresno for treatment because Bakersfield does not have a local burn unit.
“It’s up to my family to do my care, and it’s a lot of stuff, like really a lot,” Lopez said previously.
The Kern County Sheriff’s Office has not released a cause of death. The family said they were told a full autopsy could take several weeks to complete.
It remains unclear whether anyone has been arrested in connection with the July attack.
The California Post reached out to the Kern County Sheriff’s Office for comment.
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