A Tijuana judge postponed the intermediate hearing for Carla Alejandra, the woman charged with culpable homicide for drunkenly striking and killing eight-year-old Silvia Aurora and her grandmother, for at least the seventh time on June 30. The Tijuana DUI homicide case has drawn growing public anger over what the victims’ family calls deliberate procedural stalling.
Carla Alejandra’s newly sworn-in defense attorney, her fourth since the case began, told the control judge he needed time to review the case file. He also indicated he wants to negotiate an abbreviated procedure, the Mexican legal system’s equivalent of a plea deal, with the state prosecutor’s office.
Prosecutor Ordered to Respond by July 2
The prosecution has not yet received authorization from superiors to proceed with any plea agreement. Judge Estefany Moreno scheduled the next hearing for the following week and issued pointed warnings against further delays. She threatened to assign a public defender if Carla Alejandra changes lawyers again. She also warned the prosecutor he would face a fine if he does not deliver a written response on the plea deal by July 2.
The fatal crash occurred in August 2025. Carla Alejandra was driving drunk when she struck Silvia Aurora and the girl’s grandmother, killing both. She has been in pretrial detention since her arrest.
Family Alleges Breathalyzer Evidence Was Omitted
Outside the courthouse on June 30, family members of the victims protested what they see as a broken process. They alleged the prosecution’s formal accusation omitted breathalyzer evidence from the case. The family’s legal adviser also warned that a pending amparo injunction, a constitutional protection order, could block the case from advancing to oral trial altogether.
The clock is working against justice in this case. Under Mexico’s Código Nacional de Procedimientos Penales (National Code of Criminal Procedures), a defendant cannot be held in pretrial detention for more than two years. If the case is not resolved before that deadline, Carla Alejandra could be released. With the crash dating to August 2025, that two-year limit would fall in mid-2027.
Serial Attorney Changes Draw Criticism
The family and their legal adviser have accused the defense of using serial attorney changes to run out the clock. Each new lawyer requires time to review the file, effectively resetting procedural timelines. Judge Moreno’s threat to impose a public defender appears aimed at closing that loophole.
The case has become a focal point for frustration with Tijuana’s criminal courts. The next hearing is expected in early July, with the judge’s deadlines putting pressure on both sides to move forward.
This story was first reported by Punto Norte.