Stephen Vincent Chavez, 41, has avoided state prison after admitting to an incestuous relationship with his 18-year-old daughter, Makayla Renee Settles, who later died by suicide. He was sentenced to just one year in a local jail facility and three years of felony probation.
Father's betrayal leads to daughter's death
Makayla took her own life in December 2025, five months after being sexually assaulted by her father at a family gathering in their home in Moorpark, California. Her heartbroken mother told Chavez: "My daughter is dead and you still just think about yourself. I'll never forgive myself for handing her to the Devil."
DNA testing confirmed the abuse, and Chavez acknowledged exploiting a position of trust. Under California law, felony incest carries a maximum sentence of three years, but Ventura County Superior Court Judge Dusty Kawai said he could not impose that maximum because Chavez had no prior criminal record.
Prosecutors sought harsher sentence
Deputy District Attorney Tessa McCarty said Chavez "exploited his position as a father, violated his daughter's trust, supplied her with alcohol, and engaged in criminal conduct that forever altered the course of her life." She added: "While we respect the court's decision, we continue to believe a state prison sentence was warranted under the facts of this case."
Prosecutors spent months investigating whether additional charges, such as rape, could be filed, but concluded that incest was the only felony charge supported by the law, facts, and admissible evidence.
Family speaks of trauma and loss
Several members of Makayla's family delivered emotional victim impact statements, describing the enduring trauma caused by Chavez's actions and the heartbreaking loss following her death. The case was depicted as a grave betrayal of parental responsibility.
Chavez will serve his sentence in a local detention facility rather than a state prison. If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available 24/7. Contact the Samaritans at 116 123 in the UK or Ireland, or visit samaritans.org.
