Kristopher Baca, a 17-year-old who ran over a mother and her baby in 2021, was found dead with gunshot wounds this week in Palmdale, California, a city in Los Angeles County, Fox News reported.
Baca, a resident of Palmdale, pleaded guilty to the crime last year, receiving just a few months of diversionary camp as punishment. Sources said the teen attempted to "get with a girl" earlier at a fast food restaurant before his death.
The mother Baca ran over in 2021, who asked the network to identify her only as "Rachel," said she was both relieved and saddened by the news she learned about while her husband was out of town.
"The universe delivered the justice we weren't given in court, but a much harsher punishment than he'd have been dealt in a court of law," said Rachel, who has since relocated outside Los Angeles.
According to local officials, the teen was already on probation for poisoning a high school girl's drink when surveillance footage showed Baca driving the wrong way down a one-way before striking Rachel and her son, who was 8 months old at the time. According to Fox News, Baca was 15 at the time.
Local officials reportedly found drugs in the Baca's system and cannabis in the vehicle. The light sentence that came after was defended by Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascon's office as an "appropriate" resolution.
"Unfortunately, opponents of the district attorney are attempting to capitalize on this incident and are using the victim to advance the false premise that this sentencing is tied to the DA's criminal reform policies," Gascon's office said. "The truth is, our office simply followed California law."
But nearly one year later, Rachel said she wasn't sold on Gascon's justification.
"I think I feel shorted by the system because they didn't hold him accountable, and sad, not for him, but for his mom a little; because if George Gascon actually did his job, this kid would still be alive in jail," she said.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.