BABY SURVIVES VIOLENT DEATH OF PREGNANT MOM

Motel Shooting: The Killing Most Likely Was Drug-Related, Police Say;
Doctors Save The Child With A Caesarean Section

Trouble had long followed Darla Marie Woundedhead and her children.

She lost custody of three of her kids, at least two of whom were born with
drugs in their system.

Woundedhead, 30, who was due to give birth again in two months, was killed
Thursday when someone fired a shotgun through a Salt Lake City motel room
doorway.

Struck in the upper abdomen and chest, Woundedhead died a short time later
at LDS Hospital. Doctors performed an emergency Caesarean section operation
to remove the child, a girl, who remained in critical condition late
Thursday at the hospital.

Meanwhile, police are looking for the person or persons who killed
Woundedhead. Specifically, officers are looking for Kerri Armant. Armant is
described as 32, Caucasian, with dishwater blond hair in cornrows or
multiple braids, 5 foot 3 inches tall and 210 pounds. She also is known as
Kerri Wulfenstein.

Police spokesman Dwayne Baird said Armant was last seen leaving the motel
driving a small, gray or silver, four-door compact car.

"We're not certain she pulled the trigger," said Baird, "but we think she
was there and has some responsibility."

The incident occurred shortly after 1 a.m. at the Dream Inn, 1865 W. North
Temple.

Baird said one or more people knocked on the door of Room 26. Woundedhead
answered, and someone fired a shotgun through the doorway, striking her.
Baird said detectives recovered two shotgun shells from the scene. One
blast hurled pellets into the door frame, leaving dozens of pin-size holes.

Albert Johnson, 52, a Baltimore resident traveling to Seattle, said he was
watching TV in his room when he heard two shots, then five more.

"It could have been firecrackers at first, but then, when I heard it again,
I knew it was real," he said.

Emergency crews arrived at the scene and transported Woundedhead to the
hospital, where she died.

Baird said investigators "have an idea" what spurred the shooting, but he
declined to say what it was, saying that is part of the evidence in the case.

He said illegal drugs might have played a factor. Drugs and drug
paraphernalia were found in the room.

Motel manager Shinae Jang said Woundedhead was not registered in Room 26.
Baird said Woundedhead was there visiting someone else.

Investigators took eight witnesses to a police station for questioning and
have spoken to people who saw Woundedhead's shooting.

He said the witnesses are not suspects, but there are other unknown
suspects at large beside Armant, Baird said. The relationship between
Armant and Woundedhead was unclear Thursday, Baird said.

Woundedhead, also known as Darla Longsoldier and Melissa Tom, had a lengthy
criminal history, including convictions for prostitution, sexual
solicitation, aggravated assault and possession, use and distribution of
drugs, according to court records.

Some of the charges were for possessing cocaine, psychotoxic chemicals and
inhaling toxic vapors.

In June 2000, Woundedhead was picked up by an undercover officer on State
Street in Salt Lake City. She offered to perform a sexual act on him for
$50. He attempted to arrest her, but she pulled a knife and threatened to
cut the officer. He let her go - she ran down the street yelling
"entrapment!" - but she was found and arrested the next day.

On Feb. 3, 2000, the day one of her children was born, she was investigated
for illegal drug use and possession. She later pleaded guilty, admitting
that she used heroin and cocaine within three hours of birth, according to
the charges.

Woundedhead, who attended school through the 11th grade, enrolled in
several programs between jail stints, including a nine-week class about
HIV, hepatitis and other women's health issues and a class on communication
skills. Both were court ordered. She was also admitted to the Indian
Alcoholism Counseling and Recovery House and the Odyssey House of Utah.

The Utah Division of Child and Family Services intervened several times
between 1991 and 2002, said division spokeswoman Carol Sisco.

Woundedhead's boy born in 2000 and another son who is now 8 were removed
from her home at birth after they tested positive for drugs, and a family
member has custody of her 14-year-old girl, Sisco said.

LDS Hospital spokesman Jess Gomez, citing federal patient privacy laws,
declined to say what kind of medical difficulties Woundedhead's newborn is
facing or if any individual or agency has claimed custody or responsibility
for the girl. Sisco said DCFS on Thursday was in the process of assigning a
caseworker who will investigate the situation.

"A lot of times when a child is in the hospital, we don't immediately take
custody because the child is at least in a safe place for the moment," she
said.

Police are asking anyone with information about Armant or the shooting to
call their tip line at 801-799-INFO.

Pamela Manson, Lisa Rosetta and Kirsten Stewart contributed to this story.