Tests show mother had meth, marijuana in system during deadly I-17 crash, prosecutors say

PHOENIX – A woman was indicted on several felony charges, including manslaughter, for the Phoenix rollover crash that killed her daughter in April.

What we know:

Brenda Rivera Estrada, 30, is accused of one count of manslaughter, three counts of endangerment, one count of possession or use of dangerous drugs and possession or use of drug paraphernalia.

“On April 12, Rivera Estrada crashed her SUV on the northbound I-17 near Cactus Road. Her daughter died after being thrown from the SUV. Three other children were in the vehicle and suffered minor injuries. DPS Troopers suspected the defendant had been using marijuana, but results from her blood work and the collision analysis were not immediately available,” the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office (MCAO) said on May 25. “The case was initially furthered to gather additional evidence needed to file charges.”

Results came back about a month later and MCAO says it confirmed she had marijuana and meth in her system. That’s when charges were filed.

Dig deeper:

A warrant was then issued for Rivera Estrada, who is a Mexican citizen. She was transferred from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody to a Maricopa County jail on a $250,000 cash bond.

ICE previously said MCAO did not file charges and released her, but the county attorney’s office said it needed additional evidence to file charges.

“Misinformation was circulated online that MCAO ‘declined’ charges. This was never correct,” MCAO said.

“Rivera-Estrada entered the United States Feb. 14, 2009, through Nogales, Arizona, as a nonimmigrant border-crosser with authorization to remain up to 30 days. She remained in the United States beyond that period in violation of our laws,” ICE said.