Family Of Teen Left Alone To Die At Crash On Hwy 85 Seeks Justice
SAN JOSE (KPIX) - When the family of 15-year-old Crystal Alvarez remembers her, they think about how she lived. But two months after her mysterious death, they're also consumed by the unanswered questions about how she died.
"Her body was just there left. Was there foul play? I believe so. We want answers, we want closure, we want justice for my daughter. My daughter deserves that," said Elizabeth Tavares, Crystal's mother.
Crystal was killed on Highway 85 at Camden in San Jose on August 14, at around 1:30 in the morning. Her body was found lying next to three cars the CHP later confirmed had been stolen.
She was closest to a white Honda Civic which had apparently rolled several times. Two other green Hondas had been abandoned on the freeway, their engines still running and their ignitions tampered with. Were they racing? Or driving drunk? CHP investigators still don't know.
"It's a very unusual incident to have three vehicles abandoned at a collision scene," said CHP spokesman Ross Lee.
Crystal's mother admits that her daughter -- who also went by the nickname "Chito" -- may have fallen in with the wrong crowd, people she thought were her friends.
But since the crash the people who were with her that night have all stayed hidden and silent.
"These people that just left are cowards. I don't wish harm on them. But I wish they would come forward. I visit my daughter at the cemetery every day and these people are living their lives today on the streets as if nothing ever happened," Tavares said.
The family is hoping someone out there can help solve the case. The CHP is asking the public to call their tip line at 707 917-4491.
Carla Silva, her aunt added, "You need to come forward. And if you choose not to because of fear or some other reason, then you are just as guilty as those people who left our baby on the highway."