Cleveland Browns DE Chris Smith's Girlfriend Tragically Killed Just One Month After Giving Birth
Rest in peace, Petara Cordero.
Instagram Just one month after she gave birth to their child, the girlfriend of Cleveland Browns defensive end Chris Brown tragically passed away. How did Petara Cordero die?
Let's look at what we know about this awful tragedy.
1. She was with Chris Smith when she died.
According to BET, Petara Cordero was with Chris Smith in Cleveland when she died. The outlet reports that they were on I-90 when it all tragically happened.
2. Petara Cordero had given birth to the couple's first child a little over a month prior.
"Smith, 27, and Cordero, 26, welcomed a baby girl named Haven Harris Smith in August, according to the Browns. The defensive end celebrated the special moment with an Instagram post dedicated to Cordero and their daughter," reported NBC News.
3. She'd been with Chris Smith for a while.
According to Sports Illustrated, Petara Cordero and Chris Smith had been together for some time when she passed away. For his part, Smith — who'd played for the Jaguars and the Bengals before heading over to the Browns — has a son from a previous relationship.
4. The NFL issued a heartfelt statement about Petara Cordero's death.
"Words cannot describe the sorrow we feel for Chris following the loss of his girlfriend, Petara," Browns owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam said in a statement to UPI.com. "Our entire organization mourns with Chris, his family and the Cordero family. We will do everything possible to offer them our support, comfort and any resources in this most difficult time."
5. The person who killed Petara Cordero admitted to drinking heavily before she'd killed her.
According to News 5 Cleveland, I-90 was closed off after the incident involving Petara Cordero happened. The outlet reports that the woman who killed her admitted to drinking heavily before she'd killed her. However, the woman hasn't been charged with a crime...yet. The details of the investigation are "ongoing."
6. Petara Cordero died after being struck by a car...and the details are horrifying.
"Cordero and Smith were pulled over to the side of I-90 West after Smith's vehicle had a tire malfunction, resulting in a one-car accident as the vehicle spun and hit the median. After exiting the car without significant injuries, Cordero, 26, was struck by an oncoming vehicle," reported the NFL.
Our thoughts are certainly with Chris Smith, his children, and Petara Cordero's family during this difficult time. There's no question that this is a complete tragedy.
Bernadette Giacomazzo is an editor, writer, and photographer whose work has appeared in People, Teen Vogue, Us Weekly, The Source, XXL, HipHopDX, The Los Angeles Times, The New York Post, and more. She is also the author of The Uprising series. For more information about Bernadette Giacomazzo, click here.