A woman who was under the effect of methadone when she crashed her car into a power pole in El Cajon, killing her 3-year-old daughter and seriously injuring her two other children, was convicted Wednesday of vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, driving under the influence of drugs, child abuse and possession of methamphetamine.
Brandy Teague, 32, faces more than 16 years in prison when she is sentenced April 14.
According to police, Teague might have fallen asleep moments before her 2010 Hyundai Accent veered off Broadway between First and Second streets about 9:45 p.m. last April 4.
Teague's three children -- ages 2, 3 and 10 -- were taken to Rady Children's Hospital, where 3-year-old Carlee Ramirez died.
Teague was treated at a hospital before being arrested.
A witness, Holly Robles, testified last year that she saw Teague drink some fluid after the crash and the defendant told her it was "medicine."
Carlos Ramirez, the father of the victim, testified that he often saw Teague take her "medicine" from a locking black box, saying he knew she was undergoing treatment. Ramirez said Teague had been on methadone -- which is used to reduce withdrawal symptoms in heroin addicts -- for a year.
Paramedic Michael Hays, who works for Cal Fire, said he had trouble freeing an unresponsive Carlee from her booster seat when he arrived at the crash scene.
Hays said a seatbelt was across the toddler's abdomen and caused visible bruising. The shoulder belt to the booster seat was behind the back of the seat, the firefighter testified.
A deputy medical examiner said the child died from blunt force trauma to the head and a neck fracture.
