Exclusive: The family of a girl who died at the hands of illegal immigrants in October is fighting to prevent similar tragedies in the future by enacting changes at the highest levels of government.
Three-year-old Maddie Hines was arrested when Gabriel Arteaga, who did not have a driver’s license and was being sought by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), ignored a stop sign and crashed into the side of the family’s SUV. He died under suspicion.
Maddy’s death drives her godfather, Republican state representative Stewart Jones, is running for Congress and aims to take action to resolve the border crisis, including the deportation of millions of people in the United States illegally. Maddie’s mother, Chelsea, supports his candidacy, saying she credits God with giving her family peace after the tragedy.
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In October 2023, 3-year-old Maddie Hines was killed by an undocumented immigrant who ran a stop sign and crashed into her family’s car. (Chelsea Hines)
“The primary reason I am running for the 3rd Congressional District is because my goddaughter Maddie Hynes died senselessly and needlessly due to the actions of illegal aliens,” said Jones, who served in the state Assembly for five years. he told FOX. News Digital has an interview with Chelsea. “This is a really personal issue for me. I’m going to go to Washington and solve this problem and secure our borders.”
The Joneses have had a nearly 20-year relationship with the Hines family, who is also their children’s godparents. He says “heaven forbid” anything happens to him and his wife, but he knows the children will be taken care of.
Chelsea told Fox about the day of the accident, including how Maddie told her she loved her from the backseat just before the car crashed and killed her child instantly. She said Stewart (whom she calls “Stu”) was the first to arrive on the scene after her first responders, and she rode in the ambulance with Maddie to pray for her. Ta.
“It’s been really hard, but it’s been so peaceful. I feel like God has been with us through all of this,” she said. “That day, it felt like time stopped. It literally stopped. People talk about it all the time, but I immediately felt God’s love, God’s peace. It was like an eerie feeling. It was like, “I can’t explain it until I experience it.” Go through it.” ”
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Maddie Hines’ death at the hands of illegal immigrants has inspired her godfather, Republican state Rep. Stewart Jones, to run for Congress and take action to solve the border crisis. (Jones for Congress, Chelsea Hines, Lawrence County Detention Center)
“It’s great to go through something like that and have guys like them on our side. Stew went above and beyond, and I feel like that’s the type of personality he is. “When Stew puts his heart and mind into something, he understands that he needs to change it, or he needs to get something done, and he gets the job done,” she said. Ta.
“So when you think about him running for Congress, I think, of course you run for Congress and of course he’s going to do a great job. There’s no doubt in my mind.” she added. .
Arteaga, 25, was charged with reckless homicide and not having a driver’s license. The judge presiding over the case revoked his $50,000 bail after being informed that ICE was trying to ensure he could stand trial, the Clinton Chronicle reported.
Chelsea and Stewart both lamented the conditions at the southern border that led to Maddie’s death, saying too many stories like theirs are not being told. They also criticized politicians and others who have denied any notion that a border crisis exists.
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Republican South Carolina Congressman Stewart Jones is running for the state’s 3rd Congressional District. (Rep. Jones)
“I’ve seen interviews where people are laughing and saying borders don’t matter,” Chelsea said. “That doesn’t matter, because it doesn’t apply to you and you haven’t reached that statistic yet. And until your family goes through what we went through, which is the loss of a child. We deal with it every day.”
If elected, Jones has vowed to deport all illegal immigrants in the United States and work to eliminate programs and benefits that he says attract many illegal immigrants.
“We have to go after every type of nonprofit, every type of program that supports and encourages this illegal activity,” he said. “Second, and perhaps most important, the wall has to be completed.”
“The third piece of this puzzle is that we must work with local law enforcement to identify and deport illegal aliens,” he added. “We want people who committed crimes to be brought to justice, and we need to get people who haven’t committed crimes, people who are here illegally, out of here.”
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Chelsea Hines, mother of 3-year-old Maddie Hines, and Republican South Carolina Congressman Stewart Jones speak with FOX News Digital. (FOX News/Brandon Gillespie)
Jones faces a crowded Republican primary, and given the strong Republican leanings, the winner is likely to become the next lawmaker to represent the district.
Chelsea said Jones’ integrity and character made her the best choice among the candidates and allowed Jones to take Maddie’s story and use it to make a difference.
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“I completely believe that God has blessed him and that God has put him here…I feel that God has orchestrated everything up to this moment because God is the only one who can carry this through to the end. Because I knew it was just a stew. Job done,” she said.
“Maddie, even though she’s not here, this legacy and what we stand for will continue, and I feel like Stew can carry that on,” she added.
The primary election will be held on Tuesday, June 11th. If no candidate reaches a majority, the top two candidates will face a runoff election on June 25th.
Get the latest on the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more with Fox News Digital’s Election Hub.
