HOUSTON – A 29-year-old woman is facing murder charges after authorities said she was intoxicated when her child was ejected from her vehicle during a drunken driving crash early last month.
Her 7-year-old child was ejected from a vehicle and killed, and two other children were injured in the single-vehicle crash in northeast Houston on July 7.
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According to police, Edith Abrego was speeding along the 400 block of Maxey Road just before 1 a.m. when she lost control of a Nissan Rogue, went into a grassy area, hit a speed limit sign, continued into the grassy area, hit a manhole cover and went airborne before the SUV landed on its side on the road and ended up resting in the parking lot of a party supply store.
Jody Rodriguez was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.
Two other children, a boy and girl ages 6 and 4, were taken to Memorial Hermann Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Abrego was also taken to Memorial Hermann with non-life-threatening injuries.
Police said investigators found several closed bottles and an opened bottle of alcohol in the SUV.
The owner of the party supply store lit a candle and placed it in the parking lot where Jody died.
"Mainly, it was respect. And it was for him, for like, to be able to find rest," Guilibaldo Villarreal said. "For him to rest in peace, find his way to heaven, for his soul to be able to rest and for him to be able to continue."
Abrego was taken into custody on Aug. 18 without incident, police said.
