Phoenix — A Phoenix mother is now in federal immigration custody after a violent rollover crash on Interstate 17 on April 12 that killed her 9-year-old daughter and injured three other children, according to authorities. The case is unfolding on two tracks at once, with a local criminal investigation running alongside federal immigration proceedings.
I-17 Rollover Kills Young Girl, Hurts Three Siblings
Authorities say the single-vehicle rollover happened around 7:30 a.m. on April 12 on northbound I-17 near Peoria Avenue in north Phoenix. The 9-year-old girl was reportedly sharing a seat belt with a sibling and was thrown from the SUV when it flipped. Three other children in the vehicle, ages 11, 3 and 1, were taken to the hospital and later released, according to FOX 10 Phoenix.
Witnesses Cite Speed, Troopers Note Marijuana Odor
State troopers at the scene said they could smell marijuana, and a prosecutor later told a judge that several witnesses reported the driver had been passing other vehicles and traveling faster than the posted 65 mph limit. Law&Crime reports that the driver acknowledged to the judge that she had smoked earlier that morning but insisted she was not high when the crash occurred.
Driver Booked on Manslaughter, Child Abuse Counts
Local coverage identified the driver as 30-year-old Brenda Liliana Rivera Estrada. She was booked into Maricopa County custody on a manslaughter charge and multiple counts of child abuse, with bond set at $100,000. Authorities say she received treatment at a hospital after the crash before she was taken to jail, according to FOX 10 Phoenix.
ICE Steps In at Jail Intake
On May 18, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers encountered Rivera Estrada at the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office intake facility and took her into federal custody on an immigration detainer. ICE told Fox News that she allegedly entered the United States through Nogales in February 2009 and stayed beyond her authorized period.
ICE Official: Case Shows Focus on Criminal Aliens
ICE Phoenix Deputy Field Office Director Alejandro Almeida said the arrest underscores the agency’s Criminal Alien Program and broader public safety efforts. He added that “her fate now rests with the Department of Justice’s Executive Office for Immigration Review,” according to Fox News. ICE said Rivera Estrada will remain in federal custody while her immigration case moves forward.
Grieving Family, Tough Questions on Child Safety
Court records and local reporting indicate the girl who died has been identified by relatives, and a family-organized GoFundMe has drawn community attention to the loss. Coverage by Law&Crime and other outlets has highlighted painful questions about children sharing seat belts, broader child-safety practices and how local prosecutors coordinate with federal immigration authorities in cases like this.
What Comes Next
Investigators say they are still working to determine the precise cause of the rollover and whether state prosecutors will formally pursue the criminal charges in court. At the same time, Rivera Estrada’s immigration case is proceeding before a federal immigration judge, and upcoming filings and hearings are expected to clarify the timeline for both the criminal and potential removal proceedings.
