Mother now charged with DUI was in crash hours before 2nd crash that killed son

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- The mother believed to be high on drugs and driving when her son died in a violent car crash was involved in another crash two hours earlier.

Edith Abrego, 29, is charged with murder for the death of her 7-year-old son, Jody Rodriguez. A grand jury indicted her last week and she remains in jail on a $200,000 bond.

In court Tuesday morning, Abrego stood before the judge and cried. Her children's paternal grandmother has little mercy.

"I think she should pay for what happened," said Lucy Ann Rodriguez. "I think justice should be served. She should get what's coming to her."

Rodriguez remembers pleading with Abrego the night of July 6 outside her apartment in northeast Houston. The next morning, Rodriguez would learn her grandson was killed in a crash with Abrego behind the wheel.

According to Houston police, Abrego's SUV careened off Maxey Road and went airborne. The boy was ejected. His 4- and 6-year-old siblings survived.

ORIGINAL REPORT: Mom had 3 drugs in system during crash that killed young son

Court records state Abrego had amphetamine, methamphetamine and the generic for Xanax in her system. A surveillance camera captured her devastated afterward. The boy's grandmother is also concerned about the hours before.

"She couldn't stand up straight and I thought they were going to take her in, but no," said Rodriguez.

According to the crash report, Houston police responded to a minor accident at the Uvalde Ranch Apartments on S. Lake Houston Parkway at 10:27 p.m. That was just 2 hours and 18 minutes before police were called to the fatal crash. When officers left, Rodriguez says she begged Abrego not to go.

"I said, 'Let me take you home with the kids. They need to get home safe. You're not right. You don't seem like you're all there.' She said, 'Oh yes, I am,'" she said.

Abrego declined comment to Eyewitness News. She is scheduled for another court appearance on Thursday.

"I think justice should be served. She should get what's coming to her," Rodriguez said.

Report a typo to the ABC13 staff