Mother who led police on high-speed chase, crashed into pond pleads guilty in daughter’s death

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The woman accused in a high-speed chase that ended up killing her 5-year-old daughter has pleaded guilty.

Pamela Cabrera faces 10 to 30 years in state prison, Action News Jax told you in April of 2022 when police said she took her daughter, Vanity, whom she didn’t have custody of, and led police on a high-speed chase. Cabrera missed a turn near the interchange of 9B and I-95 and drove into a retention pond.

READ: Woman accused in high-speed chase resulting in 5-year-old’s death in Jacksonville identified

“The victim is in the passenger side,” an officer can be heard saying in body-camera footage. “Vehicle is in the middle of the pond we’re going to enter the water.”

Cabrera pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter of a child and other charges. After she didn’t make the turn trying to get off I-95 to 9b East, the car sank to the bottom of the pond. Investigators said Cabrera held onto a tire and survived but Vanity was trapped in the front and officers weren’t able to save her.

“That’s the suspect,” one officer could be heard saying on video when they pulled Cabrera close to shore.

“Where’s the second person?” another officer responded.

“We don’t know... in the car,” an officer said.

Cabrera will be sentenced on March 4, 2024.

Court records showed she has a history of mental illness, including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. At one point during the court process, she was mentally incompetent to face trial, but a reevaluation was done in late last August. Action News Jax Law and Safety expert, Dale Carson, a criminal defense attorney not affiliated with the case said once she was cleared, it’s fair game to pursue the charges.

“She couldn’t plead guilty if she was not competent, so the fact she became competent after a period of incompetency allowed her to plead guilty, typically that’s to a structured sentence,” he said.

Action News Jax also learned from court records that the estate of Vanity Cabrera is suing Pamela Cabrera and four organizations for negligence. The family says they could have done more to prevent the tragedy. They’re suing Cabrera along with Lifestream Behavioral Center, Inc., Eckerd Youth Community Alternatives, The LJD Jewish Family & Community Services, Inc., and Family Support Services of North Florida, Inc.

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