DALTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. — A mother faces second-degree murder charges following a crash on October 21 that killed her six-year-old daughter.
According to online court records, Sandra Saldana was arraigned on charges including operating a vehicle with a high blood alcohol content causing death, following a prior conviction. The Muskegon County Prosecutor indicated these new charges carry steeper penalties.
Saldana was initially charged with operating under the influence causing death and reckless driving causing death; those charges have since been dismissed. The incident occurred around 3:40 p.m. on Holton Road near Michillinda Road, where Saldana reportedly rear-ended another vehicle while traveling south. This collision led to her vehicle being struck by a northbound vehicle.
The impact ejected her daughter from the car, and the child was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities have stated that alcohol is believed to have been a contributing factor in the crash.
As of the latest update, Saldana is being held at the Muskegon County Jail on a $250,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court again in January.