As fans remember Natina Reed of the late '90s R&B group Blaque, her family and friends are mourning on a more personal level. In the early 2000s, Reed and rapper Kurupt were engaged to be married and had a son, Tren Brown, who is now confronting the loss of his mother. After being struck by a car while crossing the street, she was pronounced dead just hours later, but Kurupt prefers to reflect on the fond memories of his child's mother.

"Myself and Tren, Natina's son, would like to thank everyone for their love and support during this tragic time," he said in a statement to MTV News. "This is a tremendous loss to our family. Natina was a great person and I wish everyone had the opportunity to meet her and know her as I did."

Reed was just days shy of her 33rd birthday and is remembered by fans as the sassy group member of Blaque. Her groupmates Brandi Williams and Shamari Fears are coping with the death of the MC, who was like a sister. The Gwinnett County police are reporting that the driver who hit Reed doesn't appear at fault and isn't expected to face any charges. The rapper-actress was said to be standing in a roadway late Friday night. Officials are still looking for more information to explain why she was there.

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(Photo: Jeffrey Mayer/WireImage)