Las Cruces family grieves young mother killed in car crash

When a Las Cruces family heard a crash in their neighborhood at 2 a.m. on Saturday, they immediately thought of their daughter.

“The first thing that comes to a parent’s mind is ‘Oh my God, please don’t let it be her,'” said Elva Martinez.

According to the Las Cruces Police Department, Naomi Flores died after she was ejected from a truck in a fence while traveling home early Saturday morning. Police say another vehicle driving east on Spruce Avenue, ran a red light and struck her vehicle, which was traveling north on Kilmer street.

“They told us that she didn’t make it,” Martinez said, wiping a tear from her eye.

The 26-year-old mother was not wearing a seatbelt, according to police. She was less than a quarter of a mile away from her home.

“I’ll never forget it,” said her father, Enrique Flores. “It was awful.”​

Naomi left behind a five-year-old son, Josiah Flores. “It’s just really hard,” Martinez said. “I try to stay strong all day long for that little boy.”​

The intersection on Spruce Avenue and Kilmer Street has seen multiple serious crashes. According to the department, there were 8 crashes in 2018 alone.

“The fence has gone down this time for the third time,” said Kid Madrid, who rents the property. “Unfortunately, it cost the young lady’s life.”

Naomi’s parents say they want justice for their late daughter and their grandson.

“An innocent child is now left without his parent,” Martinez said. “She was a single parent working really hard to make ends meet for them.”

If you’d like to contribute to the family’s funeral expenses, you can visit this GoFundMe link. Her Godmother is also selling candles.

The investigation is still ongoing, according to police. No charges or citations have been filed.