EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — An El Paso mother is seeking answers after her teenage daughter was taken off life support and died following a crash on I-10.
Desiree Ramirez said she was driving home from the airport Tuesday night after returning to El Paso from a work trip.
Ramirez described that her 15-year-old daughter, Sophia Ramirez, was in the car along with her other children and her fiancé.
Ramirez has since confirmed to KFOX14/CBS4 on Thursday night that Sophia has died.
Sophia Ramirez, a victim of Wednesday’s serious crash on I-10 East at Lee Trevino. March 18, 2026. Credit: GOFUNDME
“We just wanted to go home,” Ramirez said, adding that she had been gone for three days and all she wanted to do at this point was go home and spend time with her kids.
But now Ramirez said, the last moments she spent with her daughter, Sophia, were during that drive.
RELATED: All lanes reopen after serious crash on I-10 at Lee Trevino, 4 injured
The crash happened at around 11 p.m. and shut down I-10 East at Lee Trevino through Wednesday morning.
The El Paso Fire Department reported four people were taken to the hospital.
One of those four people is Sophia, who suffered severe injuries and, according to her mother, did not survive.
Four people were injured, one in serious condition, after a crash on I-10 east at Lee Trevino. March 18, 2026. Credit: FitFam
“There’s no brain activity. At this point, they just wanted to give her 24 hours today,” Ramirez said.
Ramirez said Sophia suffered a severe brain bleed, a broken arm, and trauma to her heart, and that she went into cardiac arrest four times.
Ramirez said Sophia is not responding, and the family is preparing to remove her from life support.
“Getting her to keep her here so that my family can say goodbye to her and then taking her off of life support,” Ramirez said.
At this point, it’s still unknown what exactly caused the crash; however, Ramirez said suspects drunk driving may have played a role.
Ramirez also pushed back against other rumors online about what happened after the crash.
“We were stumbling out of the vehicle because we just got hit and the car spun,” Ramirez said. “We were disoriented. We’re trying to check on the kids, on the babies.”
As the investigation continues, Ramirez asks that witnesses of the crash share any information with the El Paso Police Department.
“Today is [Sophia’s] last day and we will be moving forward, making arrangements for a service for her and things like that,” Ramirez said.
Sophia Ramirez, a victim of Wednesday’s serious crash on I-10 East at Lee Trevino. March 18, 2026. Credit: Desiree Ramirez
This story has been updated to reflect that Sophia Ramirez died, according to the family.
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