OILDALE, Calif. (KERO) — Frances Lopez, the 33-year-old woman who told 23ABC last week that she was set on fire at a homeless encampment in Oildale, has died.
Lopez spent nearly two months in the hospital recovering from severe burns that covered more than 30% of her body. Her family says she underwent multiple surgeries and required daily care after leaving the hospital.
Now, her family is mourning her death while continuing to search for answers.
Lopez's husband, Steven, said the couple had been together for 13 years and were raising two daughters.
"She's my everything… she was… still my everything. Now I'm just… lost without her," Steven said.
Lopez's grandparents, Michael and Claudia Gezzer, visited her every weekend while she was being treated in the Fresno burn unit. Michael said her death came as a shock.
"I'm having a hard time. She was my first grandchild. She gave me my first great-grandson," he said.
Claudia added, "I don't even know what to say. She's my blood."
The family says Lopez died Friday after Steven briefly left their home to run an errand. He said he returned to find her unresponsive in their bedroom and called 911, but she could not be saved.
The Kern County Sheriff's Office told 23ABC it is awaiting the coroner's report to determine Lopez's cause of death.
The family says they were told a full autopsy report could take about three weeks.
Her loved ones believe an infection, including sepsis, related to the injuries from the fire may have played a role, but that has not been confirmed.
"She was just in so much pain every day. There wasn't a second of the day that she wasn't," he said.
Lopez's family also says they struggled to get the home health support and medical supplies she needed after leaving the hospital.
They say coordinating services between Kern and Fresno counties was difficult, particularly because Lopez had to travel to Fresno for specialized burn care.
Michael Gezzer said the family believes having a burn unit closer to Bakersfield could have made it easier for Lopez to receive follow-up care.
The family also wanted to recognize local firefighters who they say purchased a new bed for Lopez out of their own pockets, along with some medical supplies.
Lopez's family is also continuing to seek answers about the fire that caused her injuries.
During 23ABC's previous interview with Lopez, she said she believed she knew who was responsible for setting the fire and that she had provided information to investigators. No arrests had been made at the time of the interview.
Her family says they believe the people responsible are still out there.
"Please, please, please help us to find them. They killed her," Claudia said.
Michael is also asking anyone who may have information to come forward.
"To the people who know who done this, be a good human being. Come step up, let's get these people off the street," he said.
The circumstances surrounding the fire remain under investigation.
Beyond the investigation, Lopez's family wants people to remember who she was.
They describe her as a wife, granddaughter, cousin and mother to two young girls, ages 10 and 9.
Her cousin, Nadean Garcia, said Lopez made a difference in the lives of others, even while facing her own struggles.
"She put an impact on people's lives, whether she knew it or not," Garcia said.
The family is now making plans to bring Lopez back to Ventura for a ceremony.
A car wash is scheduled for October 10 and 11 in Ventura, with proceeds going toward expenses for her ceremony, according to her family.
As Lopez's family mourns her death, they say they are also left waiting for answers about what happened and what comes next.
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