GLENDALE, AZ — A shopping trip turned to tragedy for families on Friday, after a driver slammed into a car filled with teens and two young women.
Glendale police said 21-year-old Jaslin Avila and 24-year-old Cynthia Morales died after the driver of a Hyundai crashed into their GMC around 5:30 p.m. on Bell Road near Loop 101.
Family confirmed that Avila and Morales were cousins who grew up together; their other younger teenage siblings were in the car at the time and suffered injuries.
“They were raised together, played together, went together, and they will be in eternity, forever, together,” Avila’s mother Yuri Morales said. "They were so successful, being so young, and their lives, even though they were short, they were full of happiness, full of love.”
Morales said the family was all together for Thanksgiving, and the five cousins decided to go Christmas shopping on Black Friday.
Family said Avila planned to graduate NAU this month with her master's in athletic training.
They described her as an outgoing and funny person who lifted spirits everywhere.
"She told everyone she was a four-year-old in an adult and a teenager's body,” Morales said. "She was the most perfect child.”
Loved ones said Morales was the model of kindness for her siblings and cousins.
"Cynthia was the most kindhearted big sister,” Morales said. "She worked with preschoolers. She wanted to be a teacher.”
Police said detectives are still working the case as no arrests have been made. They said everyone involved stayed on scene.
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"These types of cases usually take a lot of time to come to a charging conclusion if ever. I can say there was no impairment on anyone involved,” the department said in an email. "The detectives are still trying to answer the why question, and they are trying to come up with a definitive answer as to why the Hyundai did not stop and/or turn like they were supposed to.”
The family said they haven’t heard updates on the case.
"We just want some answers. It'll help us start the healing process,” Uncle Stephen Garza said. "You know, the last thing we want is a person who took our babies away to be out there.”
The family is raising money for funeral expenses and ongoing medical care for the surviving teens.
