DA Goes Soft on Men Who Allegedly Murdered 5-Year-Old Girl

California’s legal system is under fire again after a liberal DA refused to add aggravating factors to the charges against three alleged killers. The suspected gang members are accused of murdering a five-year-old child — but the controversial prosecutor seems determined to make sure they get the lightest possible sentence.

On April 8, the Crisostomo family of Fremont, California, were heading to a nearby steakhouse for a birthday celebration. Suddenly, as they drove down I-880, another car pulled up alongside them, and its occupants started to make gang signs — then suddenly sprayed the Crisostomo’s car with bullets. One round struck five-year-old Eliyanah Crisostomo in the heart, and despite help from a nearby police patrol, she died beside the freeway minutes later.

The attackers were caught by surveillance cameras at another crime scene shortly before they murdered Eliyanah, and police quickly arrested three members of the notorious Sureño gang. Kristo Ayala is alleged to be the shooter; Humberto Anaya and Emannuel Sarango were in the car with him. All three have been charged with Eliyanah’s murder — but Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price hasn’t added gang or gun enhancements to the charge.

Price has already been challenged by the media on the lack of enhancements, and she claims they haven’t been ruled out — but skeptics sense an agenda at work. Price was elected last November after promising to “restore trust” in the justice system — but since taking office, she’s been accused of operating in secrecy as she works to reform her department. She’s also issued a series of alarming memos, setting out her ambition to shorten prison sentences and make probation an option even for violent crimes. The only crimes not eligible for probation are murder and some sex crimes against children, but even for those, she wants to “reduce reliance” on sentencing enhancements.

Now the real cost of Price’s ambition to “disrupt the system” is becoming obvious. Three gang members shot a child to death, but the DA isn’t willing to hand out a punishment that fits their crime. Instead, she’s accusing her critics of racism and claiming to be the victim of a backlash against her campaign for “freedom and justice.” Unfortunately, it seems the only people Price wants freedom for are criminals, and justice doesn’t seem to be on her radar at all.