According to court records and various news outlets, a Texas man who is presently free on bond after being charged with manslaughter in connection with the car-related death of his child’s mother will be able to retain his parental rights.
Ulise DeLao is accused of striking Brittany Torres, 27, when she was standing outside the vehicle on May 27 in Canyon, Texas, according to a Canyon Police Department statement. According to police, Torres was pronounced deceased at the scene.
According to KVII-TV and Law & Crime, DeLao was granted custody of the couple’s child after the victim’s mother, Jacqueline Sanchez, filed a motion that was denied. A Randall County court case summary acquired by PEOPLE shows that Sanchez’s motion was quashed on November 4.
According to a police statement, DeLao was initially charged with drunken manslaughter but was later indicted on a manslaughter charge, KVII-TV reports. Online jail records reveal that he was freed on bond in early October.
According to KVII-TV, DeLao allegedly told officials that he ran over Torres.
Police did not reveal the relationship between DeLao and Torres in the statement, but a GoFundMe page set up by her loved ones identifies the victim and claims DeLao was her lover.
“Brittany was a vibrant 27-year-old woman, full of life, dreams, and kindness,” the fundraiser read. “Her sudden and unexpected death has left a void that can never be filled.”
She was remembered as a “loving daughter, sister, mother, and friend,” according to the fundraiser.
It’s unclear if DeLao has entered a plea to the manslaughter charge. PEOPLE reached out to an attorney listed for him in court records but did not hear back in time for publication.