Houston man accused of murder of his 6-year-old stepdaughter died in a car wreck

A Houston man has been arrested for allegedly killing his 6-year-old step-daughter during a drunken crash.

Paul Rodriguez, 30, is now charged with the murder of Zyra Longoria, 6.

On Oct. 9, Rodriguez was driving a black Honda Accord southbound on the Southwest Freeway in Houston and weaving in and out of traffic, according to police. Witnesses believed the driver to be intoxicated and followed the vehicle while calling 911.

Rodriguez allegedly struck an 18-wheeler and did not stop, and a witness reported honking the car’s horn to get the driver’s attention, according to the Houston police.

At that time, Rodriguez began to veer to the right and struck a red Mercedez and a white Box truck, cops say.

The impact caused Longoria to be thrown from the vehicle. Longoria was transported to the hospital in critical condition, where she later died.

A witness said Rodriguez did not check on his step-daughter while she was lying on the freeway, according to ABC 13.

Rodriguez and the two other boys, 2 and 4 years old, sustained non-life threatening injuries and were transported to the hospital. No other people involved in the crash were injured.

Officers determined Rodriguez was intoxicated and charged him in connection to the fatal crash, police said. Rodriguez’s bond was set at $250,000, ABC 13 reported.

"It's so upsetting," the girl’s mother Sabrina Garcia said, according to ABC 13. "I trusted him to take care of my baby and to bring her back home. She's not coming home anymore, so it's hard."

Garcia has made a GoFundMe for help to give her a proper burial. It has raised more than $9,000.