A California woman who suffered devastating burns over more than 30% of her body after allegedly being set on fire at a homeless encampment has died — and her heartbroken family is demanding answers as the suspects remain free.
uncertain
suspects → suffer → answers
Frances Lopez, 33, of Oildale in Kern County, spent months in the hospital battling second- and third-degree burns after she said she was doused with gasoline and set ablaze at a homeless encampment on July 11.
asserted
she → spend → July
Lopez underwent multiple surgeries before returning home near Bakersfield in September to begin the long, painful road to recovery.
asserted
Lopez → undergo → recovery
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Sign → sign → California
But on Oct. 2, tragedy struck again.
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tragedy → strike → Oct.
Her husband, Steven, briefly left their home.
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husband → leave → home
When he returned, he found Lopez unresponsive, according to the family.
uncertain
Lopez → return → family
They called 911, but it was too late.
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it → call → 911
Now her loved ones are left mourning a mother of two — and demanding to know why the people they believe set her on fire have not been arrested.
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they → love → fire
“She’s my everything… she was… still my everything.
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she → ’ → ?
Now I’m just… lost without her,” Steven told KBAK 23.
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Steven → tell → KBAK
Lopez’s grandparents, Michael and Claudia Gezzer, said they are devastated by her death and pleaded for help finding those responsible.
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they → say → those
“Please, please, please help us to find them.
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us → help → them
They killed her,” Claudia said.
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Claudia → kill → her
Lopez had previously recounted the horrifying July attack, saying she was visiting a friend inside a tent when three people showed up and began arguing with them over money.
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people → recount → money
“And then the guy goes out again and grabs a gas can and is like, ‘f–k it, let’s just light them on fire then,’ and threw the gasoline on us,” Lopez said in a past interview with ABC News.
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Lopez → go → News
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“When I tried to leave, he pushed me back, and I fell on my friend’s bed.
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I → download → bed
And that’s when the girl lit the flame… and we went up in flames.
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we → ’ → flames
Lopez managed to escape the flames using the “stop, drop, and roll” technique before running to a nearby trailer park for help.
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Lopez → manage → help
I felt like I couldn’t breathe,” she said previously
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she → feel → ?
She was airlifted to a specialized burn center in Fresno, where doctors had to resuscitate her twice during her transport and initial treatment.
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doctors → airlift → transport
The fire left her with deep burns across her back, legs, arms and face.
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fire → leave → back
Her recovery required frequent 107-mile trips from Bakersfield to Fresno for treatment because Bakersfield does not have a local burn unit.
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Bakersfield → require → unit
“It’s up to my family to do my care, and it’s a lot of stuff, like really a lot,” Lopez said previously.
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Lopez → ’ → stuff
The Kern County Sheriff’s Office has not released a cause of death.
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Office → release → death
The family said they were told a full autopsy could take several weeks to complete.
uncertain
autopsy → say → weeks
It remains unclear whether anyone has been arrested in connection with the July attack.
uncertain
anyone → remain → attack
The California Post reached out to the Kern County Sheriff’s Office for comment.
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Post → reach → comment
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