Daughter of Woman Who Died After Long Beach Apartment Fire Last Week Asking for Donations

Monica Del Rio was pronounced dead after a two-alarm fire destroyed her Long Beach apartment and left her four-year-old daughter with severe burns. Photo courtesy of Monica Bravo

The daughter of a woman who died of injuries sustained during a two-alarm fire in a Long Beach apartment building last week has announced an online fundraiser to help her family in their time of need.

Monica Bravo’s mother Monica Del Rio was pronounced dead Thursday afternoon, one day after a fire destroyed Del Rio’s apartment unit on the 1000 block of Stanley Avenue.

Del Rio was found lying on a bed with her other daughter, unresponsive and unconscious, in a bedroom in the apartment while it was ablaze.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. Long Beach Fire Department spokesperson Jake Heflin said the unit did have smoke detectors installed, but it is unknown if the alarms were activated.

Both Del Rio and the four-year-old girl were transported to St. Mary Medical Center by Long Beach Fire Department personnel. The girl was later transported to a burn center in Torrance, where she has since undergone several surgeries.

Del Rio, 47, was pronounced dead Thursday at about 3:36PM, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Coroner.

Bravo has taken to GoFundMe to raise money for her mother’s funeral and her sister’s hospital bills.

Bravo said her sister, whose name she gave as Camila, has undergone two surgeries to remove some of the burned skin and has also undergone a skin transplant.

“She still can not fully breathe on her own yet but the doctors have said that hopefully by next week they can start cleaning out her lungs if she is stable enough,” Bravo said on the fundraiser page, which was set up by her best friend’s mother but she has taken control of. “The MRI of her brain looks good and she is moving her hands and legs more and more every day and is reacting to her family’s voices.”

Bravo is hoping to raise $10,000 to help cover her sister’s hospital bills and her mother’s funeral expenses.

To donate toward the cause, click here.