Money raised for Wichita mother’s funeral exceeds $10,000

A GoFundMe account created to help with Laura Abarca-Nogueda’s funeral costs and other expenses involved in raising her baby daughter Sofia has exceeded its goal of $10,000 and now has a new goal of $15,000.

So far, “Laura’s Memorial Fund” has raised more than $12,000. It is one of several collection efforts on behalf of the family.

One effort is being put together by Karina Rodriguez.

“I can only imagine what this family is going through,” said Rodriguez, a Wichita mother with two young children. “I needed to do something for them. They are very much in need of help.”

So on her Facebook page, Familia Rodriguez, she put out a plea for help in collecting items for Sofia – baby girl clothes ranging in size from newborn to 12 months, diapers in various sizes, bottles, Similac Advanced Formula, wipes and other items needed for raising a baby.

Many of Sofia’s baby shower items were taken when she was taken.

Rodriguez encouraged people to drop items off at 3010 E. Stafford.

On Monday, she said, she had already taken two loads of items to Sofia’s family and was working on her third.

“We’ve received tons of stuff – diapers, clothes, gallons of water, lots of formula, baby carriers – tons of stuff,” Rodriguez said.

She said she will be collecting items for the next two weeks.

Bree Lunsway is another person collecting items. She asks that people contact her directly through Facebook. She knew Sofia’s mother and knows the family.

“Laura was nothing but a giving person,” Lunsway said. “She was the type of person who would have given you the clothes off her back. She was loving, happy and never had a bad day. She was always smiling. She always went out of her way to help. And Sofia deserves this. I asked the family if there was anything we could do.”

The GoFundMe page described Abarca-Nogueda as “a vibrant, beautiful woman,” “loving mother,” a “devoted girlfriend” and a “caring sister, daughter and aunt, simply a friend to us all.”

This story was originally published November 21, 2016 at 9:16 AM with the headline "Money raised for Wichita mother’s funeral exceeds $10,000."