UPDATE: Two young women tragically lost their lives in a car crash following a Black Friday shopping trip in Glendale, Arizona. The victims have been identified as Cynthia Garcia Morales, 24, and Jaslin Avila, 21, both of whom were cousins and described as inseparable by family members.
The incident occurred near Arrowhead Towne Center. According to local police, dash camera footage shows Avila’s vehicle coming to a stop at a yellow light on Bell Road when a silver Hyundai sped off the Loop 101 ramp and collided with them. Family members are devastated, with Yuri Morales, Avila’s mother and Garcia Morales’ aunt, lamenting, “They were kids. They were not women. They were our babies.”
Three younger siblings and cousins were in the backseat during the crash and sustained injuries of varying degrees. Authorities have not released information about the driver of the Hyundai as the investigation is still ongoing.
“We just want to find out what happened with the situation, because we haven’t gotten any answers,”
stated Stephen Garza, their uncle.
The family is struggling to cope with the loss. Naomi Morales, their aunt, noted, “Jaslin was driving, and she was such a safe driver. If she would have kept going on a yellow light instead of stopping, the car would have never hit them.”
Avila was just two weeks away from graduating with a degree in physical therapy from Northern Arizona University, while Garcia Morales was pursuing her dream of becoming a teacher while working with kindergarten students in Buckeye.
“She had a future, she had a career, and she had a heart of gold,”
Yuri Morales reflected on her niece.
Family members are holding on to the memory of their close bond. “They grew up together. Since they were little, they’ve been inseparable, and now they’re gone together,” said Garza.
In response to this heartbreaking tragedy, two fundraisers have been established to assist the family with funeral expenses and medical bills. The family finds solace in the belief that the girls will be together forever.
“At least they’ll be together and won’t be alone,”
Garza added.
As the investigation unfolds, the community mourns the loss of two vibrant lives taken too soon. Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story.
