The mother of a woman who was killed along with her boyfriend when the boat they were on crashed in the Bahamas more than three years ago is speaking out after the boat’s captain pleaded guilty in their deaths.
The mother of a woman who was killed along with her boyfriend when the boat they were on crashed in the Bahamas more than three years ago is speaking out after the boat's captain pleaded guilty in their deaths.
Liz Alvarez's daughter Carolyn was 26 years old, a psychology student at Florida International University, when she and her boyfriend Javier Perez decided to take a quick trip to Bimini in the Bahamas back in July of 2020.
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It’s a short trip form their home in Miami, but they never returned because the boat they were on ended up crashing into North Turtle Rock.
Alcohol was found on the boat but prosecutors argued the captain failed to maintain a proper outlook and speed.
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On Wednesday, the man who was the captain of the boat, 37-year-old Josbel Fernandez Echevarria, pleaded guilty to two counts of involuntary manslaughter for the deaths of Carolyn and Javier.
"Her whole life was shattered because of a bad decision from Josbel," Alvarez said Thursday. "We were able to finally get the justice that we deserved because my daughter, Connie, and her boyfriend Javier didn’t deserve this."
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Alvarez said to this day, Echevarria hasn't apologized.
"Never ever, never ever, not even on the phone when the accident happened, not even when we saw him in person yesterday at the courthouse," she said.
Carolyn’s body was never recovered. But Alvarez said the guilty plea gives her some peace.
Prosecutors said the charges carry a sentence of up to 16 years in prison, but many times when someone pleads guilty it's because a deal has been made.
Sentencing is set for January.
