An illegal immigrant from Mexico was indicated in connection with a rollover crash that killed her 9-year-old daughter and hurt three other children in Arizona, according to prosecutors.
The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office said toxicology results revealed 30-year-old Brenda Rivera Estrada screened positive for both marijuana and methamphetamine at the time of the crash.
“This criminal illegal alien has been INDICTED after toxicology reports showed she was driving IMPAIRED during the crash that KILLED her three-year-old daughter and injured three others,” the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said on Tuesday.
“Working alongside local law enforcement, @ICEgov is ensuring this criminal can NEVER again jeopardize lives on American highways,” DHS added.
The charges include one count of manslaughter, three counts of endangerment, one count of possession or use of dangerous drugs, and one count of possession or use of drug paraphernalia, per the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office.
Authorities previously said public safety troopers believed Rivera Estrada was impaired during the April 12 crash that ejected her daughter from a car, as well as injured three other children, including a baby. She was initially booked on allegations tied to manslaughter and child abuse.
“Troopers suspected the defendant had been using marijuana, but results from her blood work and the collision analysis were not immediately available,” prosecutors said.
Now, the toxicology results revealed she she tested positive for marijuana, as well as methamphetamine.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) previously said the county attorney declined to file criminal charges, leading to Rivera Estrada’s release before federal immigration authorities took her into custody.
But Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell said her office “did not decline to prosecute,” saying the case was “furthered for additional investigation,” including getting DUI lab results and finishing a collision analysis.
“@Rachel1Mitchell has said this many times: we have one chance to get this right,” according to the post. “Complex cases like this routinely take time to gather the evidence needed to prove a case beyond a reasonable doubt.”
ICE said Rivera Estrada entered the U.S. through Nogales, Arizona, in February 2009 as a non-immigrant border-crosser authorized to remain in the country for up to 30 days. Officials alleged she overstayed that authorization and has remained in the U.S. unlawfully since then.
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Rivera Estrada was transported from ICE custody to the Maricopa County Jail, where she is being held on a $250,000 cash bond.
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