NAPA, CA — A Napa mother has been formally charged following a tragic crash that claimed the lives of her two young children early Sunday morning. Yesica Barajas, 31, faces multiple serious felony charges, including two counts of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, two counts of child abuse, and a charge of driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs, causing injury.
The crash occurred just after 7 a.m. Sunday when Barajas was driving southbound on Highway 29. The vehicle left the roadway and struck a tree at the offramp to West Imola Avenue. Her two children, 10-year-old Damien Montanez and 9-year-old Aaliyah Montanez, were both pronounced dead at the scene.
Barajas, who was seriously injured in the crash, was taken to a local hospital for treatment. On Tuesday, Napa County District Attorney Allison Haley confirmed that Barajas had been administratively booked into the Napa County Department of Corrections. She will be transported to jail once she is medically cleared to leave the hospital.
At her initial court appearance Tuesday, Deputy District Attorney Katie Susemihl requested bail be set at $2 million, given the severity of the charges and the loss of life involved. Napa County Superior Court Judge Elia Ortiz provisionally set the bail at $1.5 million, with a review of the amount scheduled for Barajas’ next court appearance on Friday at 8:30 a.m.
In addition to the charges, Barajas is also facing allegations that the crime involved serious felonies, great bodily injury, multiple victims, and that she was in a position of trust as a mother to the deceased children. Prosecutors noted that these circumstances could result in an increased level of seriousness in the case.
The deaths of Damien and Aaliyah have shaken the Napa community, as residents mourn the loss of two young lives. Barajas’ actions, now under intense legal scrutiny, are expected to be the focal point of the ongoing investigation.
The case continues to develop, and further details will be revealed during Barajas’ upcoming court proceedings.