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Driver Charged After Car Slams Into Texas Home, Killing Mother and 7-Year-Old

The case centers on whether the driver's actions meet Texas's criminal negligence standard.

Overview

  • Early Sunday at 3:26 a.m., police say a car driven by Gracie Yates crashed into a Stephenville home near North Ollie and West Green, injuring several people inside.
  • Family members identified the two people who died as 49-year-old Barbara Rocha and her 7-year-old son, Alex Aaron Rocha, who were struck as they slept.
  • Stephenville police arrested Yates on two counts of criminally negligent homicide, and CBS Texas reports she has been released on a $29,000 bond.
  • Investigators have not said why the vehicle left the road or whether impairment played a role, and the inquiry remains open.
  • Local outlets differ on Yates’ age, with CBS and WFAA reporting she is 18, while FOX 4 reports police have not released that detail, as relatives share grief and a GoFundMe seeks help with funeral and housing costs.