Mother Accused of Abandoning Children Then Crashes Car in Attempt to Flee

LUBBOCK, TX — A Lubbock woman is facing multiple felony charges after allegedly crashing her car into a fence after abandoning two children at separate locations across the city.

According to court documents, Lubbock Police officers responded to a crash at the 2000 block of N. Ash Avenue on April 22 after receiving reports that a vehicle was traveling up to 90 mph before crashing into a fence.

At the same time, dispatchers received another call from the 1100 block of E. Ursuline Street, where a black car reportedly pulled up to a house and a woman "threw a child" at a bystander before driving away.

Both incidents were linked to a woman, later identified as Sandy Bonilla-Munos, 31.

When officers arrived at the crash site on Ash Avenue, they found a black car matching the description from both scenes with front-end damage. Bonilla-Munos was lying on the ground nearby, screaming and crying incoherently. Witnesses at the scene told police they had to pull her away from the car to stop her from trying to flee the scene.

Bonilla-Munos, who only speaks Spanish, reportedly refused to explain what happened after being questioned multiple times by a Spanish-speaking officer.

According to the witness at the Ursuline Street location, Bonilla-Munos showed up at the residence, exited the vehicle without saying a word, and handed over a young child. She then drove off at a high rate of speed and crashed into the fence on Ash Avenue, matching the report from dispatch. Police estimated the damage to the fence to be about $1,500.

Court documents state that officers believed she had no intention of returning for the child, and they suspected her actions may have been influenced by concerns related to her immigration status in the United States.

A third related call led police to the 3800 block of 35th Street, where another child had been found on a doorstep, crying and asking for help. Officers learned that Bonilla-Munos had allegedly left the child at a nearby grocery store before the child wandered to the home. The child also stated that they had a baby sibling who was still with Bonilla-Munos at the time.

Based on these events, police investigators believe Bonilla-Munos knowingly abandoned both children and posed a serious risk to their safety.

Sandy Bonilla-Munos was taken to UMC for medical evaluation from the crash, before being transported to the Lubbock County Detention Center, where she was charged with two counts of Abandoning or Endangering a Child, Where the Child is in Imminent Danger, and Criminal Mischief >=$750<$2500.

Her total bond is set at $102,500.