LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) — An Acadiana mother suffers a heartbreaking and tragic loss after being involved in a car crash police say was caused by an alleged drunk driver.
Her baby girl, Kinlee, was taken from her before she was ever born.
Tuesday night, 28-year-old Alexis Castille was driving down Ambassador Caffery Parkway, five months pregnant with her first little girl, when a drunk driver hit them head-on.
“She says she just remembers seeing headlights, just headlights and then screaming,” Alexis’s friend, Brandy Girouard said.
That’s the last thing Alexis, or Lexi as she’s known by, remembers. When she woke up, she was pinned down in the driver’s seat.
Her two young sons, four and five years old, were in the back seat. Her adopted 16-year-old daughter was in the passenger seat.
“And sadly, Kinlee didn’t make it,” Girouard said.
Kinlee was Lexi’s unborn baby.
“She was devastated. She’s a mom to three boys, you know. This was her girl. She was really excited about Kinlee coming, so she’s devastated,” her friend told News Ten.
After being pried out of her car, Lexi was rushed to Lafayette General, where she had an emergency c-section, but doctors couldn’t save the baby.
“A baby, to lose a baby. Had she not been in the accident and had to have a c-section, she would have made it. She was far enough along to be okay,” Girouard said.
“She did get to hold her and love on her, and we were able to get her baptized. She got some time with her, and it’s never going to be enough. But she’s thankful for the time she did get with her.”
Police say an alleged drunk driver hit Lexi’s vehicle.
“These are the horror stories that you hear, and unfortunately, Lexi and her family and everybody that loves her and those kids, we lost a lot that night. We’re still suffering from it. Life’s not fair. It’s not fair at all,” Lexi’s friend added.
Lexi is still in the hospital fighting for her life. Doctors say she has internal bleeding.
“We just kind of help make sure she stays up and gets through this and that Kinlee didn’t die in vain, that this wasn’t all for nothing,” Girouard said.
“Maybe Kinlee was just too good for this world. Hopefully, this can be some awareness to people about drinking and driving. It doesn’t affect just you.”
Police have arrested a suspect.
Noe Sanchez is accused of causing the deadly crash Tuesday night.
He’s charged with third-degree feticide, first-degree vehicular negligent injuring, vehicular negligent injuring (three counts) OWI, careless operation, open alcohol container in vehicle, and no driver’s license in possession.
Family and friends who know the hard road she has ahead established a GoFundMe account in her name.
They say Lexi will be out of work for six to eight months. She may need more surgeries and will have to go through physical therapy.
The money they are raising for Lexi will help take care of her bills and anything she will need so she won’t lose her home or her car and can keep the lights on for her other four children at home.
The GoFundMe will also help to pay for a memorial service for Kinlee once Lexi is out of the hospital.
