A 31-year-old mother facing multiple charges following a crash in Napa that left her two children dead made her first court appearance Monday. Jodi Hernandez reports.
A 31-year-old mother facing multiple charges following a crash in Napa that left her two children dead made her first court appearance Monday.
Yesica Barajas faces charges of felony DUI, manslaughter and child abuse for the March 16 crash that killed her two children, 10-year-old Damien and 9-year-old Aaliyah. Barajas's defense attorney asked the judge to postpone her arraignment until next week when he'll file a bail motion. Her current bail is set at $1.5 million.
"They’re going through probably the worst thing a human being can go through," defense attorney Robert Casper said. "She’s not only lost her children, but their family has lost grandchildren, nieces and nephews, and the whole family is grieving right now. It’s an utter horrible tragedy."
While Barajas's family declined to comment Monday, her coworker, Blake Robles, spoke out.
"I’m just so torn up by what happened because those kids were everything to her," he said. "I can’t imagine how alone she feels right now."
Robles worked with Barajas at Panera and said she's a hard worker with a kind heart, adding that she had recently been promoted.
"She was sharing that there were some struggles going on financially for her and she was trying to take on more hours and get promoted," Robles said. "And I told her, 'You’re working so hard and you deserve it.'"
According to the probable cause statement, the responding California Highway Patrol officer said Barajas admitted she uses marijuana daily, relying on it to calm herself down. The officer said he smelled a strong odor of marijuana on Barajas's breath at the crash scene and found marijuana cartridges and a vape pen in the car. He said Barajas admitted to consuming pot and multiple alcoholic beverages before driving.
Robles said he wasn't aware of any substance abuse but knew she was under a lot of stress. He insisted the children meant the world to her.
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"Everything," he said. "She was such a good mom. She talked about her kids at work constantly. We were talking about some of that family struggles she was going through at work, and I would give her some Christian advice."
A GoFundMe has been set up to pay for the funeral expenses for the children. They have been described as sweet, loving and full of life.
Barajas will be back in court on April 1.
