Atlanta Shooting Claims Life of Pregnant Nursing Student Siditty
Atlanta, Georgia – 10 April 2026
A pregnant nursing student and aspiring rapper from Detroit has been shot dead in Atlanta, leaving her family and the global nursing community in mourning.
Qualeisha Barnes, known professionally as Siditty, was found unresponsive in her vehicle with multiple gunshot wounds shortly after 1:23 a.m. on Wednesday, 8 April. Atlanta Police Department officers responded to a shots-fired call on Springside Place SE in southeast Atlanta and discovered the 36-year-old inside her white Range Rover Sport. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
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The Fulton County Medical Examiner has confirmed her identity. Her family told local media she was 14 weeks pregnant at the time of her death.
A promising future cut short
Barnes had lived in the Atlanta area for nearly a decade. She was in the final stages of her nursing programme, having recently made the dean’s list with just two semesters remaining before graduation. Alongside her studies, she built a music career under the stage name Siditty and ran her own online boutique, So Siditty Boutique.
Her mother, Francine Lopez-Stewart, spoke emotionally to 11Alive:
“She made the dean’s list. She had, like, two more semesters to go. She was so proud of herself, and we were so proud of her.”
Lopez-Stewart added that she believes more than one person may have been involved and has called for full accountability:
“If you instigate something that causes a murder, then you need some kind of… you need to go to jail too.”
Barnes’s sister, Shatara Davis, described her as “my sister… my baby”, recalling the woman known affectionately as LeLe – a joyful jokester who lit up every room. Family members say she loved makeup, fashion and laughter, qualities that inspired her “siditty” persona.
Investigation ongoing
Atlanta Police have not named any suspects. Detectives continue to investigate the homicide. No arrests have been made as of 10 April 2026.
Fellow Nurses Africa extends its deepest condolences to the Barnes family, her unborn child, her nursing classmates and colleagues. As an organisation dedicated to supporting nurses across the continent and the African diaspora, we recognise the profound loss this represents. Qualeisha Barnes embodied the resilience and ambition so many in our profession carry – balancing rigorous academic demands, family responsibilities and personal dreams.
Insight and advocacy: The hidden vulnerabilities facing nursing students
This tragedy shines a harsh light on the safety risks faced by women particularly Black women and expectant mothers in urban environments. Nursing students often work irregular hours, commute alone and juggle financial pressures while pursuing a career rooted in care. When violence claims one of our own, it ripples through hospital wards, lecture halls and communities far beyond Atlanta.
Pregnant healthcare professionals already navigate heightened physical and emotional demands. Losing a future nurse and her child in such circumstances is not only heartbreaking but a stark reminder of the need for stronger community safety measures, better support systems for student nurses and swift justice in cases of gender-based and maternal violence.
We also urge our members and fellow healthcare workers worldwide to look out for one another, report any threats, and prioritise mental health resources during times of collective grief.
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Fellow Nurses Africa is the independent voice of African nursing, we educate, inform and support nurses across Africa
Kehinde Oluwatosin is one of the many editors here at Fellow Nurses Africa and fellownurses.com.
He is a registered nurse with a Master of Science degree in healthcare leadership from the University of Hull, United Kingdom. Kehinde is passionate about advancing the nursing profession across Africa. As Co-Founder of Fellow Nurses Africa, he plays a key role in shaping editorial direction, ensuring our content educates, informs, and empowers nurses continent-wide.
With expertise in leadership, patient flow, and healthcare operations, Kehinde brings valuable insights to nursing news, career development, and policy discussions. He is committed to amplifying the voice of African nurses and driving positive change in the profession.
