California dad charged with incest after allegedly assaulting daughter; DA may drop case

Dad charged with incest after allegedly assaulting daughter

Makayla Rene Settles moved to California to chase her dreams. Two days later, her family says her biological father sexually assaulted her. She was 18. She died five months later. Now her family is fighting to make sure her accused attacker faces trial.

VENTURA COUNTY, Calif. - When Makayla Rene Settles turned 18, she left Raleigh, North Carolina, for a fresh start. She moved to Moorpark, California, to live with her biological father, Stephen Vincent Chavez, with plans to attend college and build a new life. Two days after she arrived, her family says she called terrified and asking for help.

"It was just the fear in her voice, her crying. I didn’t need details. I knew something was wrong, and I said, ‘I’m on the way,’" said Carolina Sandoval, Makayla’s mother.

Carolina says she rushed to Chavez’s home. When she saw her daughter, she was devastated.

"She’s barely walking," Carolina said. "My brother picks her up and hugs her."

Makayla was taken to a hospital, where a rape kit was performed. According to the family, the results came back positive for Stephen Vincent Chavez’s DNA. He was arrested that same night and charged with incest, taking advantage of a position of trust, and providing alcohol to a minor.

Her cousin, Crystal Sandoval, was in disbelief. She said, "I was screaming, I was crying. I just kept thinking, why would he do that to her? This is something she could not come back from."

Crystal was right. Five months later, Makayla Rene Settles died by suicide.

"If I’m being honest, it feels like I handed my daughter to the devil," said Carolina.

On the night Makayla was taken to the hospital, Sandoval says Chavez sent her a text message. It read, "I’m never drinking liquor again. I don’t want that blackout to happen again."

Now, the family says they’ve been dealt another devastating blow. According to Crystal Sandoval, the Ventura County DA’s Office has told them the case may not go to trial because Makayla is no longer alive to testify.

"The DA was essentially saying, ‘We don’t know if we have a case because she’s no longer here,’ and when she told me that, I immediately said, ‘No, we’re not going to let that slide,’" said Crystal.

Determined to get justice, Crystal took to social media. Her videos went viral, drawing widespread outrage and prompting hundreds to promise to show up to Chavez’s next court hearing, scheduled for April 21 at the Ventura County Courthouse.

"It was like he took her sunshine away and just kind of broke her soul," Crystal said.

The Ventura County District Attorney’s Office issued the following statement:

"We have seen the posts online and want to let the public know that our Sexual Assault Unit continues to prosecute the defendant for this extremely serious crime. This case has been filed since July 2025, when the evidence supported the filing of felony charges. As with any case, prosecutors filed charges based on the evidence. The court sets bail. Our office successfully moved to increase bail to $250K in July 2025 when the case was filed. The defendant requested that bail be reduced, but we successfully argued against that. The defendant has since posted $250K bail and is out of custody. With respect to the upcoming hearing, the April 21 date is an early disposition conference. This is a standard pretrial proceeding where the court and parties address the status of the case and set future dates as appropriate."

Despite that statement, the family says they have already been told a trial is not guaranteed, and they are not backing down. Chavez has pleaded not guilty. His next court hearing is April 21 at 8:30 a.m. in Courtroom 14 at the Ventura County Courthouse.