MARION, OH (MARION COUNTY NOW)—After the tragic deaths of two of her children after she drove into a pond, Cassandra Bautista, 33, of Marion County, received her sentence in Marion Municipal Court yesterday after an incident resulted in the deaths of two of her four children.
On November 2022, first responders managed to rescue Bautista along with two of her children, but unfortunately, two others did not survive.
Bautista has maintained that the incident was an accident, sparking emotional testimony during the court proceedings.
James French, the father of Bautista’s two-year-old son, expressed deep concerns in court, revealing that he had previously sought custody due to fears that Bautista might harm their child. Court documents indicate that Bautista had a history of making threats to harm herself, and eyewitness accounts suggested she deliberately drove into the pond without applying the brakes, despite being familiar with the area.
Marion County Prosecutor Ray Grogan commented on the case to Marion County Now, where he addressed questions about the absence of felony charges: “No one ever came forward to claim the reward my office offered for credible and admissible evidence that would lead to a felony conviction in this tragic case,” Grogan explained.
Visiting Judge Howard E. Hall had the option to impose a six-month jail sentence but ultimately decided on a far lighter penalty.
Bautista was sentenced to ten days in jail and had her driver’s license suspended for three years.