The grieving family of a mum who died shielding her three-year-old son from a hit-and-run driver have said she was a "hero".
Wendy Galdamez, 33, was struck by a large Toyota 4Runner SUV as she crossed the road with her son in Santa Monica Bay, Los Angeles last Saturday night.
Emergency crews arriving at the scene in Playa del Rey at around 11pm said they found the mum clutching her son.
They were returning home after a family day at the beach, with the woman's husband and their other child, said local media outlet KTLA5.
Ms Galdamez's cousin, Jennifer Vera, told KTLA5: "It's shocking. I can't believe it still.
"We're still in complete shock that this happened."
She added: "My cousin, she was loving, nurturing, she was all about her family, she was so giving."
The victim was pronounced dead at the scene according to the Los Angeles Police Department while her son was injured and taken to hospital.
The youngster is expected to recover, it is reported, although details about his health status are currently unclear.
Her family say that her final act was to protect her child and it showed the kind of person she was.
Ms Vera reportedly said: "I think she is a hero."
She added: "I think she did what every mother would do and I think that speaks a lot for who she was as a mother."
The family are demanding justice and have said that due to the "senseless act of a heartless stranger, Wendy’s children will grow up without their beloved mother."
The police investigation is ongoing. Authorities are looking for a Toyota 4Runner with significant damage to the front of the vehicle.
A crowdfunding page on GoFundMe page has been set up for people to donate here.
The family stated: "Wendy was 33 years old, married with two boys, ages three and four.
"She was a beloved mother, wife, daughter, sister and aunt. She was loving, funny, admirable and self-less, with her last motherly instinct was to sacrifice her life to save her three-year-old son.
"Due to this senseless act of a heartless stranger, Wendy’s children will grow up without their beloved mother."
