PHOENIX (TNND) — An illegal immigrant from Mexico, Brenda Liliana Rivera-Estrada, 30, was arrested following a crash on April 12 that resulted in the death of her 9-year-old daughter and injuries to three other children.
Authorities reported that Rivera-Estrada was impaired at the time of the incident, which ejected her daughter from the vehicle. The injured children included a baby. She was initially charged with manslaughter and child abuse but was released due to the Maricopa County Attorney's Office declining to file criminal charges pending further investigation, including DUI lab results.
“According to ICE, the arrest of Rivera-Estrada underscores the importance of public safety efforts,” stated Alejandro Almeida, Deputy Field Office Director for Enforcement and Removal Operations in Phoenix. Rivera-Estrada's fate now rests with the Department of Justice's Executive Office for Immigration Review, which will determine her eligibility to remain in the U.S.
Rivera-Estrada was initially booked with a bond set at $100,000 but was taken into custody by ICE after her release. According to ICE records, she entered the U.S. through Nogales, Arizona, in February 2009 under a temporary status that expired after 30 days.
ICE officials confirmed she has remained unlawfully in the United States since that time. Rivera-Estrada remains in ICE custody pending further immigration proceedings.