Family fights for answers after daughter’s death
By Stephanie Muñiz
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JEMEZ PUEBLO, New Mexico (KOAT) — It’s a family tradition of art and culture. Pottery is something Shawna Toya from Jemez grew up with.
“That’s how we pass down our work to the next generation so she was ready to pass this design down to her daughters,” said Shawna Toya’s mother, Geraldine Toya.
On Aug. 1 2021 life was turned upside down for Benjamin and Geraldine Toya.
Geraldine said, ”That day we went to the Main Event and we celebrated my youngest daughter’s birthday.”
Six hours later they were woken up by an unknown number. It was someone from the Albuquerque Police Department.
Benjamin said, “They gave us the report. We found your daughter unresponsive. All her windows were open in her car.”
They were allowed to take her car home just hours after she was found dead.
They said their daughter left her home that night to buy a money order and milk for her kids, while searching the car they found empty grocery bags, a cell phone and a wallet.
Benjamin said, “I found this wallet that belonged to this lady. I don’t know if she was the driver.”
From the start something did not seem right, Geraldine said, “It hurts only because it kind of felt like I was discriminated, you know because they kind of judge her saying that she is native.”
The family did request an autopsy but investigators said it was not necessary.
A toxicology report was down showing Shawna died from a drug overdose.
“They wanted me to believe that what they were telling me is how my daughter was supposed to be. And it’s not. It’s not. That’s not my daughter. I know my daughter,” Geraldine said.
Police claim there is no foul play but Geraldine says that’s not the case, “When we brought her home we found evidence on her body. She had wounds”
Geraldine started taking pictures and recording phone calls from investigators, some calls in the middle of the night.
Like so many others, the Toyas have become advocates for their daughter’s life.
Now they have Shawna’s four kids, the youngest only 2-years-old.
The one thing they do have is the pottery she left behind “The continuous lines which are the eternity markings are actually her trademark.”
The family has hired an attorney in hopes of answers in this case.
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