Edith Abrego is charged with felony murder for the July 7 death of her son, Jody Rodriguez. She was arrested Friday morning at her mother's home where she and her surviving children have been living since the crash. She remained in jail Friday night.
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Houston police always suspected Abrego was intoxicated when she got behind the wheel of her SUV last month. While driving on Maxey Road near her home, she lost control and ran over a pole and a speed limit sign, investigators believe. The vehicle went airborne and landed on its side.
Sources tell Eyewitness News Abrego had three drugs in her system at the time of the crash and that her blood tested positive for methamphetamine, amphetamine and alprazolam, the generic name for Xanax.
There is no mention of alcohol in court records.
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Security video from a nearby business recorded the crash and the moments after. It shows Jody's 4-year-old sister climb out of the back broken window and his 6-year-old brother climb out from a side window. It also shows a police officer consoling the mother as she cries next to her children.
It was unclear if any of the children were wearing safety belts. Officers said there was one booster seat in the back, but it was unknown which child was sitting in it. Police say based on their ages, height and weight, all of the children likely should have been sitting in a car seat or booster seat.
The murder charge is based on a grand jury indictment. Prosecutors requested no bond but a judge set bond at $200,000.
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