Pamela Tereza Cabrera abducted her daughter, Vanity, crashed into a retention pond, and left her to die, authorities said. (Mug shot: Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office)
A mother, who authorities say kidnapped her noncustodial 5-year-old daughter and crashed into a retention pond where the girl died, has pleaded guilty to killing the child.
The arrest and booking report against Pamela Tereza Cabrera, 33, states that she called out to law enforcement for help, but she made no effort to save the victim from the sinking vehicle.
She will be sentenced in a hearing tentatively set for the week of March 4 for a count each of aggravated manslaughter of a child and aggravated felony fleeing or attempting to elude causing death.
Authorities in Duval County, Florida, say that she abducted the child, identified in a WJXX/WTLV report as Vanity, on March 31, 2022. The defendant was armed with a knife, they said.
During the ensuing, 30-mile high-speed chase, the fleeing Cabrera ran every red light from Biscayne Boulevard to I-95 South, according to documents. She drove erratically, crossing lanes at a high speed, and almost striking other drivers.
This tragically concluded when she tried to get off the interstate.
“The suspect attempted to take the exit for 9B West, but at the last minute she decided to go straight towards 9B East,” authorities wrote. “While continuing at a high rate of speed, the suspect failed to negotiate the turn on the ramp, which caused the vehicle to go into a retention pond. Once the vehicle was submerged, the suspect escaped the vehicle and held onto a tire to stay afloat. The suspect observed the officers in the water and was yelling, ‘help me. Save me.’”
She made no effort to attempt to rescue her daughter, who was trapped in the front seat of the vehicle, they said. The car sank to the bottom of the pond. A sheriff’s office dive team recovered the body.
Cabrera had mental illnesses including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, according to records obtained by Jacksonville CBS affiliate WJAX. She reportedly lost custody of Vanity to the Department of Children and Families, who gave the child to her sister. Her mother had reportedly tried to get her help, seeking power of attorney to help her make decisions.
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