A Starr County woman has been charged with murder for the death of her 8-year-old daughter in early 2021 after she crashed into the back of a garbage truck while she was allegedly drunk.
A grand jury issued a superseding indictment against Elia Marie De La Cruz on Monday.
The crash happened on Feb. 8, 2021 in Rio Grande City during the early morning hours, according to a news release.
Authorities said she was the driver of an SUV that had rear-ended a garbage truck.
The crash killed her young daughter, Leah Marie Gonzalez, who was pinned inside the SUV along with De La Cruz, according to the release.
Emergency personnel had to pull both mother and child out of the vehicle through the center of the windshield due to the extent of the damage.
“Based on the damage to the vehicle, investigators believe De La Cruz was traveling at a high rate of speed when she rear ended the garbage truck,” the release stated. “Officers at the scene also detected a strong smell of alcohol coming from the SUV. Upon further inspection, investigators located two cans of beer inside in that SUV.”
De La Cruz was initially indicted in March 2021.
The superseding indictment alleges De La Cruz operated the SUV at an excessive speed, failed to maintain proper control of the motor vehicle and did not properly use a seatbelt on her daughter, all of which caused her child’s death.
The indictment also said De La Cruz did this while committing another felony, namely driving while intoxicated with a child passenger.
The Starr County Sheriff’s Office arrested De La Cruz on Wednesday.
