The family of Christine Chavez, a 27-year-old woman from central California, is demanding further investigation into her peculiar death after a lawn mower operator ran over her. The incident took place on a property in Modesto, California, owned by a winery, where the operator was tending to an overgrown area. The operator, an employee of Grover Landscape Services Inc., claimed not to have realized the accident until after he noticed Chavez’s body.
Chavez’s parents remain dissatisfied with the way the Modesto police have handled the case. They argue that the investigators were negligent, leaving parts of her remains at the scene. On Tuesday, the family staged a protest outside the police department to attract attention to their daughter’s death, with more planned in the future.
Police department spokesperson Sharon Bear provided a brief, factual description of the incident to USA TODAY but did not address the family’s criticism or respond to additional inquiries. Despite the family’s claims that they were told the case is closed, Bear maintains that it is still open.
Statements from the landscaping company, the winery, and the police department suggest that Chavez’s death was an accident. The property owner, E & J Gallo Wine Co., noted that Chavez was lying in a tall, weeded area and was not visible. After noticing Chavez’s body, the landscaper immediately contacted 911.
However, the circumstances of the accident raise questions for Chavez’s family. Cristobal Chavez, her father, can’t understand why the operator didn’t see or feel his daughter as he ran her over, given that he himself has operated such a mower. The family also questions why Christine wouldn’t have heard the approaching mower and moved out of the way, leading them to speculate that something might have happened to her before she was hit.
The family claimed they haven’t received any direct apologies. The landscaping company, while not providing additional details about the incident, stated it was providing counseling to the operator and expressed its condolences. Gallo also expressed its condolences and stated its full cooperation with law enforcement.
Further aggravating the family’s grief is the police’s handling of the scene of her death, which they deem insensitive and negligent. A makeshift memorial for Christine Chavez has been erected at the site of the tragedy. The family continues to seek answers to the mysterious circumstances surrounding Christine’s death.
