Kaely Camacho's Mother, Sister Speak at MADD Event at Southwood Middle School

It was a "really emotional" day, Angela Camacho said

Mothers who have lost their daughters in accidents involving alcohol shared their experiences with Southwood Middle School Monday – including the mother of the late Kaely Camacho.

She attended the presentation by Mothers Against Drunk Driving at her Palmetto Bay school a year ago.

Then, on April 13, the 13-year-old girl was killed in a hit-and-run crash in southwest Miami-Dade – something that her mother, Angela Camacho, still has trouble believing.

“It’s really emotional today, because (of) the fact that she was here during this same speech and event last year,” Angela Camacho said.

Helen Witty of MADD returned to Southwood to share her personal tragedy and spread the message of prevention at Monday’s event, which was held as part of Red Ribbon Week. Alcohol kills more young people then all other drugs combined, Witty said.

Kaely Camacho was killed after her father’s minivan was struck by a Land Rover driven by 38-year-old Sandor Guillen, according to police. He has pleaded not guilty to charges including vehicular homicide, DUI manslaughter and leaving the scene of an accident.

Now, the Camachos are working with MADD to help prevent drunk driving.

“Because I believe if students see from my prospective as a student the dangers of drugs and alcohol, that maybe they’ll wake up and realize and they’ll have conversations with their parents,” said Kaely Camacho’s sister, Bree Ann.

A booklet, “The 411 on Teen Drinking,” is MADD’s newest tool to prevent underage drinking. Money was raised for it at a walk held in Kaely Camacho’s memory in May.

The organization will be distributing the booklet to help students make wiser decisions about alcohol.

“It’s really important at this age in the children’s lives because this is the time where they start to succumb to peer pressures and exposure to drug and alcohol, so we really want to try and get them at an early age to be aware,” Angela Camacho said.

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