Burned woman dies at UCSD

See story from Wednesday's U-T.

A Vista mother of four who was critically injured in the Harris fire after crossing the border illegally through the blazing hills surrounding Tecate died Tuesday afternoon at UCSD Medical Center.

Maria Guadalupe Beltran, 29, had been hospitalized in the medical center's burn unit after being rescued in the back country during the firestorm two weeks ago.

Beltran, a native of the state of Mexico, had been returning to the United States after traveling to her hometown to attend her father's funeral. Her younger brother, who was with her, was also critically injured.

She leaves behind four children, ages 8, 7, 5 and 18 months, along with her partner Felipe Mercado, her mother in Mexico and several siblings.

- Leslie Berestein, staff writer