Bacliff woman pleads guilty to drunken driving crash that killed Clear Lake-area mother, baby

A 21-year-old woman has pleaded guilty to 18 years in prison for an early morning drunken driving crash that killed a mother and baby in February 2018, according to the Harris County District Attorney’s Office.

Veronica Rivas entered the plea deal on Tuesday, accepting concurrent 18-year terms in the deaths of Shayla Joseph, 36, and her infant son, Braylan.

Sean Teare, head of the Harris County District Attorney’s vehicular crimes division, said he believes Rivas will receive an appropriate punishment. The law allows for 20 years maximum prison-time on intoxication manslaughter charges,Teare said.

She’ll be formally sentenced on July 12 before state District Judge George Powell, according to the Harris County District Clerk.

“This was a particularly horrific crash and took two beautiful people away,” Teare said. “There’s no amount of time that’s going to bring these two lives back and restore a family that’s been completely destroyed. We can assure the public and everyone else that she won’t be out there anytime soon.”