An illegal immigrant from Venezuela has been charged with manslaughter in a wrong-way crash that killed a 12-year-old boy in Missouri.
Edina Bracho, 33, was allegedly driving the wrong way in a 40 mph zone in Hazelwood in December when she collided with a Jeep carrying Travis Wolfe and his parents, Timothy and Stephanie. . The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported..
The 12-year-old boy was rushed to St. Louis Children’s Hospital and remained on life support for three months before dying from his injuries last Wednesday.
Bracho’s two children were taken to the same hospital with serious injuries, and Travis’ parents were treated at Mercy Hospital for multiple fractures. Fox2 reported.
The Venezuelan national was charged with first-degree manslaughter, two counts of second-degree assault, two counts of first-degree endangerment of a child, and operating a motor vehicle without a valid license. She is being held on $500,000 cash-only bail, with a hearing scheduled for April 8.
“The defendant is in the country illegally from Venezuela,” according to court documents cited by the news organization.
Hazelwood Police Sergeant Scott Schnarbusch told Fox 2 the driver’s circumstances are “not part of our investigation.”
“However, it was difficult to identify all those involved as there were no documents or identification documents in the vehicle to identify the two boys or the suspects,” he said.
“1,700 feet is a long distance to drive over 110 miles per hour on a 40-mile public road. It’s a long way to go in the wrong direction without realizing it,” he said.
The case attracted the attention of Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Missouri), who blamed U.S. immigration policies for Travis’ death.
“Travis Wolfe, a 12-year-old Missouri boy murdered by an illegal immigrant. This is what Open Borders does. Say his name,” he wrote to X.
