2 women charged with teen's death make first court appearance

CHEHALIS, Wash. — Two women charged in connection with the alcohol-related death of a teenager made their first court appearance Friday at the Lewis County Courthouse.

Talia Date and Megan Day, both 22 years old, face 13 criminal charges each in connection with the death of 16-year-old Tyler Gonzalez.

Their charges include supplying alcohol to minors and reckless endangerment.

Gonzalez’s mother, Victoria Gonzalez, was also in the courtroom and she addressed the two women about her son’s death.

“It was important to show we want justice for Tyler,” said Gonzalez. “She provided the alcohol that killed my kid.”

Prosecutors said Tyler Gonzalez was at a party, got drunk and wandered onto a road.

Gonzalez was dressed in dark clothing and was lying down on the road in the 100 block of Brockway Road when a driver struck him. He later died.

“If he wouldn’t drink, he wouldn’t have been found dead over there,” said Victoria Gonzalez. “He’d still be alive, yeah.”

Prosecutors said both Date and Day are seen in a video purchasing hard liquor in Chehalis for the party.

If the women are convicted on all counts, they would face a maximum of a 13-year sentence.

KIRO