BAKERSFIELD, CA - Two men accused of taking three lives in separate drunk driving crashes, appeared in court Monday morning. A pregnant woman, her unborn child and a six-month-old baby were killed last month in a deadly three days.
But, the two families are finding comfort in each other, embracing in a Kern County Superior Court hallway. They were strangers until Monday, and now the two are attached by tragedy.
"We are a family now connected by horrible circumstances, but it is what it is," said Donte Heath, father of six-month-old Layjah Heath.
Each offered support after both families saw their loved one's accused killer in court Monday morning.
"It was overwhelming," said Faith Heath.
Joseph Maine faces two second-degree murder charges, accused of hitting and killing Vanessa Carillo and her unborn child on Monitor Street on January 17th.
"I miss my daughter," said Martha Carillo, Vanessa's mother.
Vanessa's Carillo's cousin is also devastated because his sister was paralyzed by a drunk driver.
"It hurt me a lot, especially because it was a drunk driver and to think that a drunk driver could of took my own sister away. So, it just really impacted my life," said Anthony Leon.
Alfredo Moreno also appeared in court, but his arraignment was delayed until Tuesday. The 50-year-old faces a first-degree murder charge for allegedly hitting and killing six-month-old twin, Layjah Heath, January 19th. On Monday, Heath's parents saw Moreno for the first time since the crash.
"I seen him when we first pulled up, first walked up he was outside sitting by me," said Heath. "He even tried to sit by us in the courtroom."
They said Moreno remained silent.
"It was good to see that we don't hate him. We don't wish him any bad, " said Heath. "We just want justice for our baby girl Layjah."
The district attorney would not comment on either case Monday nor would the defendants. Both Moreno and Maine are out on bail. Moreno has a previous DUI conviction, and Maine has been charged before with a "wet reckless."