JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Pamela Cabrera, the mother facing charges after a high-speed chase and crash that lead to the death of her 5-year-old daughter, appeared in front of a judge on Wednesday morning.
Cabrera's legal representation submitted the opinion of Dr. Meadows, who said the 32-year-old was incompetent to stand trial. The judge ruled Cabrera incompetent. Her competency will be reevaluated in 90 days on December 14th, to see if she has recovered. The judge said Cabrera also meets the requirements for involutory hospitalization.
Cabrera reportedly lead Jacksonville Sheriff's officers on a chase across the city after she kidnapped her daughter while armed on March 31.
There was reportedly an altercation at the family home, earlier on in the day of the reported kidnapping and chase, according to Cabrera's family.
The chase began in North Jacksonville after Cabrera allegedly kidnapped her daughter, Vanity. The chase ended in a retention pond near 9B and Durbin Creek after she “failed to negotiate” a turn and crashed into the water. The chase lasted 30 miles.
Cabrera managed to escape the sinking vehicle, according to the incident report, but, “made no attempt to try to rescue her daughter, who was trapped in the front seat of the vehicle.”
Cabrera lost custody of her daughter in 2020. Vanity had been living with family members. Cabrera was "lost" without her daughter, according to an affidavit which details the state of her mental health, before the incident.
Cabrera reportedly stopped taking the medication that was helping to treat her mental illness because she is pregnant, according to her family.