A California widow faced her husband’s killer in court Tuesday and described the difficulty of getting by each day.
Erica Nelson of Monrovia, told the court how the death of her 41-year-old husband, Chris, greatly impacted her life and the lives of their four children, ABC 7 reported.
‘The hardest thing for them to give up is their dad,’ she said during the hearing.
Eduardo Macias Santibanez, 25, of Pasadena, was driving under the influence when he rear-ended Chris’s car at high speed eastbound on the Orange Grove, causing Chris’s vehicle to slam into the center median before being hit by a second car.
As part of a plea deal, Santibanez pleaded guilty to driving under the influence and gross vehicular manslaughter.
Erica Nelson (left), of Monrovia, California, confronted the killer of her 41-year-old husband, Chris (right), in court on Tuesday
Eduardo Macias Santibanez, 25 (left), of Pasadena, was driving under the influence when he rear-ended Nelson’s car at high speed in February 2016. Erica (right) revealed how the death greatly impacted her life and the lives of their four children
Erica told Santibanez that her four children still asked her where their father was, especially her youngest son, who was 18-month-old at the time of his death and still asks for ‘Da-Da’ (Pictured, Erica and Chris with their son)
As part of a plea deal, Santibanez pleaded guilty to ‘driving under the influence and gross vehicular manslaughter.’
Erica told Santibanez that her four children still asked her where their father was, especially her youngest son, who was 18-month-old at the time of his death and still asks for ‘Da-Da’
She and her sister-in-law, Karen Cockrill, said the children did not look forward to the holidays.
‘Every day gets worse. It’s 667 days without him. Every day it’s painful,’ Karen Cockrill said.
Santibanez listened to Erica’s statement through tears, after which he apologized for his actions on that February night in 2016.
‘I pray for your family every day,’ Santibanez told Erica.
The widow added that she believed her husband would be alive today had someone helped him when he was pinned inside his vehicle.
Erica said that the aftermath of her husband’s death left her ‘financially and emotionally exhausted.’ She quit her job and moved with her children to a different home because her old house reminded her too much of Chris (Pictured, Chris and Erica with their fur children)
As part of a plea deal, Santibanez pleaded guilty to ‘driving under the influence and gross vehicular manslaughter’ (Pictured, the aftermath of the crash)
The widow added that she believed her husband would be alive today had someone helped him when he was pinned inside his vehicle (pictured, the aftermath of the crash)
A GoFundMe account has been set up to help financially support Erica and her four children (pictured). So far, $2,750 has been raised out of a $5,000 goal
‘I believe if someone was able to come to his rescue, officer or some kind of first responder, they could have saved my husband’s life. That second accident wouldn’t have happened and I wouldn’t be standing here today,’ she said.
Erica said that the aftermath of her husband’s death left her ‘financially and emotionally exhausted.’ She quit her job and moved with her children to a different home because her old house reminded her too much of Chris.
A GoFundMe account has been set up to help financially support Erica and her four children. So far, $2,750 has been raised out of a $5,000 goal.
Outside the courthouse, Erica told reporters she hoped others would ‘think twice before they drive and drive’.
‘I hope people will see the effects that someone’s selfish decision has,’ she said.