OTTAWA COUNTY, Mich. — Months after a Holland mother crashed her car into a retention pond that ended in the death of her three young boys, she's now facing charges.
Leticia Gonzales was arrested Tuesday and is now charged with three counts of operating while intoxicated causing death.
On Feb. 17, 4-year-old Jerome Gonzales, 3-year-old Jeremiah Gonzales and 1-year-old Josiah Gonzales were in the car with their mother when authorities said she veered off the road and hit a curb. The vehicle rolled and landed in a pond with several feet of water.
Their 30-year-old mother, Leticia Gonzales, survived, but all three of the little boys did not.
13 ON YOUR SIDE previously reported the Ottawa County Sheriff's Office traffic investigation report showed drugs were suspected to be a factor in the crash.
"What made this case especially difficult, and why it's remained under investigation for such a long time is that this was a synthetic opioid that was in her system," Ottawa County Sheriff's Captain Jake Sparks said.
"So we have to be able to show visible impairment by a controlled substance while the person is driving. That's one of the elements of this crime. And so it took a substantial amount of time to be able to do that," he added.
The Ottawa County Sheriff's Office says at the time, Gonzales was driving under the influence of a prescribed medication. Court documents reveal that a deputy, who is also a trained Drug Recognition Expert, evaluated Gonzales at the hospital shortly after the crash and said that her pupils were "notably constricted," her eyelids were droopy, and she had difficulty keeping her eyes open.
Because of those multiple signs of impairment, the deputy asked Gonzales about the use of drugs (specifically opioids or similar drugs). She initially denied taking any prescription drugs that could have caused her to be impaired, but later admitted to the deputy that she regularly takes Methadone.
She said she had taken her "normal" dose at 6:30 that morning, administered by a licensed facility as part of a treatment program. A sample of her blood was sent to the Michigan State Police, and analysis of the blood showed that the Methadone and EDDP was detected, but cannot be quantified as some other drugs can be.
That's why it took months of processing to determine it was in her system.
She was virtually arraigned Wednesday in 58th District Court in Holland and given a $250,000 cash/surety bond.
Gonzales remains in the Ottawa County Jail.
The family created a GoFundMe account for funeral costs and other expenses.
►Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the 13 ON YOUR SIDE app now.
Have a news tip? Email news@13onyourside.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter. Subscribe to our YouTube channel.