TYLER, Texas — An East Texas mother has been sentenced after pleading guilty to killing her daughter in a January 2024 wrong-way drunk driving crash.
Krystle Medeiros, 38, of Tyler, was sentenced to 40 years in prison on Monday for the murder of her 9-year-old daughter, Kylie Medeiros, in a crash which occurred on Jan. 4, 2024. She was also sentenced for two counts of intoxication assault — 10 years for each count to run at the same time as her 40-year sentence.
According to an arrest affidavit, a Texas Department of Public Safety trooper determined Krystle Medeiros was driving an SUV on the wrong side of traffic on State Highway 64 when she struck a pickup truck head-on. Both Krystle and Kylie Medeiros were taken to the hospital.
The trooper smelled a "strong odor of alcoholic beverage" inside of the vehicle, but he did not find any drinks. At the hospital, Krystle Medeiros was identified as the driver and her daughter Kylie as the passenger, the affidavit read. Hospital staff told the trooper that Medeiros admitted she had been drinking.
Testing at the hospital showed her blood alcohol concentration reading was at 0.35. The legal limit in Texas is 0.08, meaning her result was more than four times over, the document stated.
"She was mentally not stable. But she hid it very well. So people couldn't see. And she drowned herself with alcohol," Medeiros' family friend said.
Law enforcement issued a subpoena for Medeiros' medical records.
Kylie Medeiros passed away in the early morning hours of Jan. 5, the affidavit said. Kylie's obituary says she was an outgoing child with the biggest smile that could illuminate any room. She loved unicorns, rainbows, pink and purple.
"She was a very creative and imaginative child that enjoyed coloring. Kylie was a ray of sunshine who will be forever missed, always loved and never forgotten," the memorial reads.
Jail records show Krystle Medeiros had been arrested for driving while intoxicated and public intoxication multiple times over the years.
"She should have been in jail before that, you know, her daughter's life would have been saved," Medeiros' family friend said.