Seven-year-old Ivory Smith was killed and her mother critically injured in a drunk driving accident in north Houston, Texas, allegedly at the hands of 41-year-old Venezuelan migrant Joel Enrique Gonzalez Chacin.
According to court documents, Chacin was previously arrested for assaulting a family member in June, and although he was placed on an ICE hold, the charge was dropped to a misdemeanor and he was sentenced to 113 days in jail, which he had already served. He was released the same day, and the ICE detainer against him was also lifted.
Chacin, who is accused of intoxicated manslaughter, was arrested after T-boning Christina Smith and her daughter Ivory’s car at 2:45 am. He was seen taking photographs of the scene instead of helping the victims, and then drove off.
Ivory’s family has released a statement expressing their grief and anger at the situation. “No parent should have to suffer the unbearable loss of a child, especially under circumstances that could and should have been prevented,” they said. “This incident is a stark reminder that we need stronger accountability and justice to prevent further suffering for families like ours.”
The family is demanding answers and advocating for change, citing the fact that Chacin was released after being detained earlier in the year despite having a history of arrests. “Why do we have holds in place if they fail to keep dangerous individuals off our streets? How can a system allow such leniency, where a person with such a record is given a chance to walk free and re-offend?” they asked.
Ivory’s family also paid tribute to their young daughter, saying that she was taken from them “far too soon due to the reckless actions of an individual who chose to drive under the influence.”