If you don’t remember, back in July 18-year-old Obdulia Sanchez crashed her car while driving under the influence and killed her 14-year-old sister Jacqueline Sanchez. The teen was living streaming the crash including her sister’s death and was sentenced on Thursday to 6 years and four months in prison. According to California Highway Patrol Obdulia was driving back home to Stockton, California, on July 21, 2017, when she lost control of her car. She crashed through a barbed-wire fence and overturned the vehicle which ejected the two 14-year-old passengers out of the rear view window. They didn’t have their seatbelts on, and Obdulia was live streaming via Instagram her singing and dancing while driving. Now she’s going to jail for the next six years, and I think that’s getting off lightly.
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Her sister Jacqueline Sanchez died at the scene while her friend Manuela Seja injured her leg and Obdulia decided to videotape the entire thing. She recorded herself over her sister’s bloody body begging her to wake up and apologizing for killing her while continuing to record. Authorities have reported that Obdullia’s blood alcohol level was .106 almost two hours after the crash had occurred. The disturbing video quickly gained attention and went viral this brought a lot of attention to this sad case.
After pleading no contest to gross vehicular manslaughter, DUI, and endangering a child she was sentenced to the six years. As for why she would videotape the entire ordeal she has given a few different answers. Initially, she said she was trying to gain attention to the crash and hoped the video would bring authorities. She also claimed she wanted to raise money for Jacqueline’s funeral and didn’t know how else to do so.
“I made that video because I knew I had more than 5,000 followers. It was the only way my sister would get a decent burial. I would never expose my sister like that I anticipated the public donating money because my family isn’t rich.”
Her public defender argues that events in Obdulia’s life led up to this tragic event. Apparently, Obdulia has a history of being sexually abused as well as a history of drug use. The public defender says in her past she has been forced to use alcohol and methamphetamines before being sexually trafficked for two years. She eventually was arrested for driving without a license and was sentenced to a rehabilitation program. They claim that she did exceptionally well throughout her stay in the rehab program. When released to her own devices her mental health issues came to the surface.
“Based on her age, history, jail credits, and recent criminal justice reform. There’s a reasonable chance she is released by the end of this year.” Samrao said. “I just feel sorry for the parents who wanted her released and to come home with them. They now feel like they’ve lost two daughters. I hope they can find some semblance of peace soon.”
Those poor parents.
The judge didn’t seem to buy it but this is just an awful situation for this family to go through and I don’t even know if they consider this justice. Just a nightmare for this family all around. I can’t imagine how that mother and father must feel. We’re sending thoughts and prayers they can get some semblance of peace in their life.