Photo: Stanislaus County Sheriff's Office
Juliette Marie Acosta, a 26-year-old mother from California, faces murder charges after her four-year-old daughter, Reagan Herrin, died in a car crash. On March 8, Acosta allegedly crashed her SUV into an irrigation canal near Hickman, California, while driving with a blood alcohol level nearly three times the legal limit. Prosecutors claim that Acosta left the scene and went home to take a bath while her daughter remained trapped in the submerged vehicle.
Reagan was eventually rescued from the car by her uncle and a deputy but died at the hospital the following day. Acosta's attorney, Gil Somera, disputes the claim that she was taking a bath, arguing that the timeline makes it impossible. He also criticized the charges, stating that they are intended to inflame public opinion.
Initially charged with DUI, Acosta was later arrested again after additional charges, including murder and vehicular manslaughter, were filed. Police apprehended her at a San Francisco hotel after she allegedly attempted to evade arrest. Acosta's father, Clifford Acosta Jr., was also detained for allegedly aiding her escape, though her attorney denies this.
Acosta is currently held without bail and could face life in prison if convicted on all charges.