One-Year-Old Girl Killed by Alleged Drunk Driver While Visiting Grandmother’s Grave With Her Father

A family visit to a cemetery to remember a loved one turned into an unimaginable tragedy when a one-year-old girl was struck and killed by a vehicle. Her father was also hit and left seriously injured, while the child’s mother was forced to face the devastating reality of losing her daughter just days after celebrating her first birthday.

Janessa Milagro Mazur Diaz and her father, Joshua Mazur, 30, were at St. Mary Cemetery in Sacramento, California, on November 1, 2026. The family had reportedly gathered to visit the gravesite of Janessa’s great-grandmother during celebrations for Día de los Muertos, also known as the Day of the Dead.

According to the Sacramento Police Department, officers responded shortly before 4:45 p.m. after receiving reports that a vehicle had struck two pedestrians inside the cemetery. The victims were identified as an adult man and a one-year-old child.

Both were rushed to hospital, but Janessa died despite lifesaving efforts. Her father suffered serious injuries, including broken ribs and fractures to his nose and skull, according to reports from his family.

The suspected driver, identified as 50-year-old Miguel Guzman of Sacramento, was detained after officers said he attempted to leave the scene. He was subsequently arrested and booked into the Sacramento County Main Jail.

Guzman faces multiple felony allegations, including gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, driving under the influence causing injury, hit-and-run and child abuse. These are charges, and the allegations have not been proven in court.

Janessa’s mother, Jackline Patino Diaz, spoke about the devastating moment she had to tell her injured husband that their little girl was gone.

She recalled that when she entered his hospital room, his first question was: “Where’s my baby?” She then had to tell him that their daughter had died.

The family had celebrated Janessa’s first birthday only days before the collision. Her mother said the sudden loss was almost impossible to comprehend, describing how their ordinary family outing had turned into a nightmare.

The tragedy occurred during a Día de los Muertos gathering at the cemetery, when families had come together to remember deceased relatives. Instead of leaving with memories of their visit, Janessa’s family was left grieving the loss of a child whose first birthday had only just passed.

A fundraising campaign was launched to help the family cover funeral expenses, medical bills and other costs as they navigate the aftermath of the crash.

The investigation into the collision is ongoing.

Source:  DAILYMAIL