Mom of teen girl who killed herself after dad’s horrific incest takes aim at Gov. Gavin Newsom
Carolina Sandoval is calling for urgent changes to California’s sex crime laws following a tragedy involving her teenage daughter. Her daughter, Makayla Rene Settles, died by suicide in 2025 after a traumatic encounter with her biological father. The legal outcome of the case has sparked national outrage and a demand for more stringent protections for victims of sexual abuse.
The legal battle began after 18-year-old Makayla moved from North Carolina to Moorpark, California, to live with her father, Stephen Vincent Chavez. In July 2025, the 41-year-old father provided his daughter with alcohol before engaging in sexual activity with her. Following the incident, Makayla provided detectives with multiple statements and a recorded video interview detailing the events before her death five months later.
Despite the evidence, local prosecutors determined they could only support an incest conviction rather than a rape charge. They reached this conclusion after senior prosecutors and legal experts from another county peer-reviewed the available facts and the law. Because Makayla passed away before she could testify in court, officials claimed her evidence was no longer valid to prove lack of consent beyond a reasonable doubt.
In 2026, a judge sentenced Chavez to just one year in county jail and three years of probation. The sentence arrived despite prosecutors requesting the maximum three-year state prison term for the felony. Chavez did admit to abusing a position of trust and acknowledged the vulnerability of his victim. He must now register as a sex offender for the next 20 years.
Sandoval described the short jail sentence as a slap in the face to victims everywhere. She criticized the current legal landscape as a gray area that seems to favor predators over the people they harm. She now plans to lobby Governor Gavin Newsom and state lawmakers to pass new legislation in her daughter’s name to ensure other families do not suffer similar results.
Governor Newsom’s office responded by stating they cannot comment on specific decisions made by local courts or law enforcement agencies. However, his administration noted that the Governor consistently signs legislation to strengthen protections for survivors. Legal experts suggest the case represents a significant miscarriage of justice that sends a dangerous message to other perpetrators of abuse.
