East County Mother Gets 13 Years in Drug-Fueled Crash That Killed Daughter, 3

El Cajon, CA — A woman who was under the effect of methadone and methamphetamine when she crashed her car into a power pole in El Cajon, killing her 3-year-old daughter and seriously injuring her two other children, was sentenced Thursday to 13 years and four months in prison.
Brandy Teague, 32, was convicted in March of vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, driving under the influence of drugs, child abuse and possession of methamphetamine.
According to police, Teague might have fallen asleep moments before her 2010 Hyundai Accent veered off Broadway between First and Second streets about 9:45 p.m. on April 4, 2015.
Teague's three children — ages 2, 3 and 10 — were taken to Rady Children's Hospital, where 3-year-old Carlee Ramirez died.

Her father, Carlos Ramirez, asked for leniency, saying Teague's two surviving children need their mom.
"No matter how much time you're going to give her, my daughter's not coming back," he said.
Deputy Public Defender Charles Millioen asked Judge Evan Kirvin to place Teague on probation, citing the defendant's lack of criminal record and "horrific childhood."
Millioen said Teague was exposed to drugs while she was pregnant, was molested by a cousin and later by an uncle and bounced around foster care homes growing up.

The defense attorney also said Teague was exposed to domestic violence as an adult, causing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Ten years ago, Teague suffered a back injury in a car accident and got hooked on pain medication, Millioen said. She sought help at a methadone clinic and told counselors that she just wanted to be a better mother, the attorney told the judge.
The defendant is extremely remorseful for the accident that killed her daughter, telling probation officials, "If I could take it back, I would. If I could give my life for Carlee I would," Millioen told the judge.
But Deputy District Attorney Aimee McLeod said Teague made the decision to drive after an argument with her boyfriend, showing a disregard for human life, including her own.

The night of the accident, Teague missed a methadone appointment and ingested methamphetamine, yet she chose to drive with her children in the car, the prosecutor said.

Before the crash, Teague's 10-year-old son repeatedly said "Mommy, stop driving," but she didn't listen, McLeod told the judge.

"He feels responsible for his sister's death because he couldn't keep his mom awake," the prosecutor said.
The father of one of Teague's other children said this was not the first time she had driven while under the influence.
A witness, Holly Robles, testified last year that she saw Teague drink some fluid after the crash and the defendant told her it was "medicine."
Carlos Ramirez testified that he often saw Teague take her "medicine" from a locking black box, saying he knew she was undergoing treatment. Ramirez said Teague had been on methadone — which is used to reduce withdrawal symptoms in heroin addicts — for a year.
Paramedic Michael Hays, who works for Cal Fire, said he had trouble freeing an unresponsive Carlee from her booster seat when he arrived at the crash scene.
Hays said a seatbelt was across the toddler's abdomen and caused visible bruising. The shoulder belt to the booster seat was behind the back of the seat, the firefighter testified.
A deputy medical examiner said the child died from blunt force trauma to the head and a neck fracture.

City News Service

(Patch file photo)