The family of an 18-year-old girl who died by suicide after she was allegedly raped by her own father is now pushing for justice as the “devil” who assaulted her continues to live freely.
In July 2025, Shortly after she turned 18, Makayla Settles left Raleigh, North Carolina, and moved to Moorpark, California, to live with her biological father while attending the local college, according to Fox 11.
“She was really excited to grow and be successful here in Cali,” Makayla’s cousin, Crystal said in a TikTok clip. “We were all so excited to be together.”
The teenager’s mother, Carolina Sandoval, and her little sister Jaida joined the adventure, staying in accommodations separate from the young college student while she adapted to life in California.
But then things went terribly wrong.
‘Fear in her voice’
“Not even two days after she moved in with this man,” Crystal said, pointing to a photo of Makayla’s father, Stephen Vincent Chavez, “we received a phone call on July 21, 2025.
“Makayla called my aunt crying. She said, ‘mommy, can you please come pick me up?’ Didn’t say anything else.”
Recalling the phone call, Carolina told Fox: “It was just the fear in her voice, her crying. I didn’t need details. I knew something was wrong.”
‘Brutally violated her’
According to her family, Settles had left the home in a state of panic, without shoes and struggling to walk, holding onto the few things she could gather in a rush, including her cat, identification, and cash she had saved.
Once Carolina had her safely in the car, Crystal explained that the teen told her mom that her “biological father got her drunk and brutally violated her for four hours that night.”
“She couldn’t even walk, from the trauma and the pain he caused her body.”
‘His DNA was found inside of his daughter’
Settles was carried into the hospital in Simi Valley, where a rape kit confirmed the presence of her father’s DNA.
“His DNA was found inside of his daughter,” Crystal argued, adding that her hospital gown had been covered with blood.
After police arrived, Chavez, 41, was arrested and charged with four felonies, including incest, taking advantage of a position of trust, and providing alcohol to a minor. He pleaded not guilty and posted $250,000 bail.
“I was screaming, I was crying. I just kept thinking, why would he do that to her?” said Carolina. “This is something she could not come back from.”
The aftermath and a struggle back home
After returning to North Carolina, Settles struggled with depression, according to her family, who say the trauma continued to affect her in the months that followed.
“She was crying, asking why he thought it was okay to do that to her,” Crystal said, before breaking into tears.
And then in December, about five months after the alleged assault, the young woman died by suicide.
Her death now complicates the case, as prosecutors must move forward without her testimony.
Prosecutors face uncertainty
The Ventura County District Attorney’s Office says the case is ongoing, but questions remain about whether it will go to trial without a living witness.
“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,’” Carolina told Fox News.
“If I’m being honest, it feels like I handed my daughter to the devil,” she added.
A spokesperson for the DA’s office said there is “no intention of dropping the case.”
Family pushes for justice
Settles’ family has been organizing demonstrations outside the courthouse, wearing shirts with her name and photo as they call for accountability.
Her cousin, Crystal Sandoval, has also shared updates online, rallying support from the public.
“This is why we don’t come forward, because even when we do, the justice system fails us. please help us share this video so that everyone knows Makayla’s story. we’re not giving up until she gets the justice she deserves,” she captioned an Instagram post.
What do you think justice should look like in this case? Please share this story to help keep Makayla’s name in the spotlight and make sure the call for justice doesn’t fade.
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