A tragic drunk-driving accident in north Houston on Sunday, December 1st, left a seven-year-old girl dead and her mother severely injured, sparking outrage over the immigration system’s failure to detain a criminal migrant.
Ivory Smith, a second-grader, was killed when Joel Enrique Gonzalez Chacin, a 41-year-old Venezuelan migrant, crashed into the car carrying her and her mother, Christina Quainoo. Authorities confirmed Chacin was intoxicated at the time and fled the scene after taking photos of the wreck.
The crash occurred just two and a half months after an ICE detainer against Chacin was lifted, allowing him to remain in the United States. Chacin had been arrested in June for assaulting a family member and served 113 days in jail. Upon his release in September, the ICE hold was inexplicably lifted.
“Why was that hold lifted when he discharged his sentence? If he had kept that hold on him, no ifs, ands, or buts, you have a 7-year-old girl who would be alive today and a mother who wasn’t seriously injured,” said Andy Kahan, a Houston crime victim advocate.
Ivory’s family expressed grief and frustration in a public statement. “It is with profound sadness that we acknowledge the heartbreaking loss of 7-year-old Ivory Giselle Smith. Her life, filled with innocence and joy, was taken far too soon due to the reckless actions of an individual who chose to drive under the influence,” they said.
The family also criticized the system for failing to protect the public. “No parent should have to suffer the unbearable loss of a child, especially under circumstances that could and should have been prevented. How can a system allow such leniency, where a person with such a record is given a chance to walk free and re-offend?”
Ivory’s mother, who was seriously injured in the crash, has been released from the hospital but faces a long road to recovery, including physical therapy to relearn how to walk.
Chacin is now in custody, charged with intoxicated manslaughter, and held on a $150,000 bond. ICE has lodged a new detainer against him, though the agency has not explained why the previous hold was lifted.
The family, while mourning their loss, has vowed to seek justice for Ivory and advocate for change. “We will continue to demand answers and advocate for change so that no other family has to endure the pain, loss, and injustice that we are experiencing,” they said.
The family has organized a GoFundMe fundraiser to assist with her mother’s medical expenses. Donations can be made through this link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-ivorys-family-in-their-time-of-loss.
