The relatives of an 18-year-old woman who died by suicide after she was allegedly raped by her biological father are concerned the case against him will be dismissed, because she can no longer testify against him.
“The DA was essentially saying, ‘We don’t know if we have a case because she’s no longer here,’ and when she told me that, I immediately said, ‘No, we’re not going to let that slide,’” Crystal Sandoval said of her late cousin, Makayla Rene Settles, while speaking to FOX LA.
Makayla was living in Raleigh, North Carolina, when she turned 18 and decided to move to Moorpark, California, to live with her biological father, Stephen Vincent Chavez.
Sandoval said she had plans to attend college and plant roots out west.
But on July 21, 2025, Makayla called home to North Carolina two days after moving, and “it was just the fear in her voice, her crying … I didn’t need details. I knew something was wrong, and I said, ‘I’m on the way,’” said her mom, Carolina Sandoval, to FOX LA.
Carolina said when she saw her daughter later, she couldn’t believe it. “She’s barely walking,” Carolina said. “My brother picks her up and hugs her.”
A rape kit was completed on Makayla at a nearby hospital, which allegedly determined seminal fluid recovered during the sexual assault forensic exam tested positive for Stephen’s DNA. The father was arrested that same night for incest, taking advantage of a position of trust, and providing alcohol to a minor.
“I was screaming, I was crying. I just kept thinking, why would he do that to her?” Sandoval said. “This is something she could not come back from.”
On December 28, 2025, Makayla died by suicide. “If I’m being honest, it feels like I handed my daughter to the devil,” Carolina confided to the station.
She said Stephen texted Makayla while she was in the hospital, saying, “I’m never drinking liquor again. I don’t want that blackout to happen again.”
Sandoval said they are devastated to learn from the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office the case may not go to trial because of Makayla’s death.
Sandoval said she went on social media to demand justice and has managed to get hundreds of people to commit to showing up to Chavez’s next court hearing, which is set for April 21 at the Ventura County Courthouse.
“It was like he took her sunshine away and just kind of broke her soul,” Sandoval said.
The Ventura County District Attorney’s Office, in a statement, said it was aware of Sandoval’s social media campaign.
“Our Sexual Assault Unit continues to prosecute the defendant for this extremely serious crime,” the statement explained. “This case has been filed since July 2025, when the evidence supported the filing of felony charges. As with any case, prosecutors filed charges based on the evidence. The court sets bail. Our office successfully moved to increase bail to $250K in July 2025 when the case was filed.”
It added: “The defendant requested that bail be reduced, but we successfully argued against that. The defendant has since posted $250K bail and is out of custody. With respect to the upcoming hearing, the April 21 date is an early disposition conference. This is a standard pretrial proceeding where the court and parties address the status of the case and set future dates as appropriate.”
Still, Makayla’s loved ones insist they’ve been told not to expect a trial.
Us Weekly was unable to connect with anyone in the prosecutor’s office.
If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual violence, text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.
If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or considering suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
