Latest news with #BradyHeiling
Sky News AU
29-07-2025
- Sky News AU
Heartbreaking video shows family's tearful send-off of teen whose organs were donated after being hit by alleged drunk illegal immigrant
A heartbreaking video shows the final moments of a Wisconsin teen's life that was allegedly taken by an illegal immigrant drunk driver as his family gave their final goodbye before his organs were donated. Tearful family and friends surrounded the lifeless body of 19-year-old Brady Heiling as doctors wheeled him on a stretcher through a hospital hallway, according to a video posted by his mother, Jen Heiling. Draped across the front of the gurney was a sign that read 'DONATE LIFE,' a nod to his organ donation. 'Brady Allen Heiling you are soooooo LOVED!…' his mother wrote in the emotional post. Loved ones bid the teen, who was hooked up to a breathing machine, farewell as they leaned onto his chest and cried out. Heiling, along with his 'love' Hallie Helgeson, 18, tragically died after an illegal immigrant drunk driver hit them while driving the wrong way on an interstate outside Madison, officials said. Honduran national Noelia Saray Martinez-Avila, 30, was drunk and driving her SUV the wrong direction on a highway outside Madison when she allegedly struck a vehicle and killed the two teens on July 20, according to police. Helgeson, who was a passenger in the vehicle, died at the scene, while Heiling, who was behind the wheel, clung to life for five days after he was airlifted from the wreck. He fought through multiple unsuccessful surgeries before succumbing to his injuries. 'Hallie Helgeson and Brady Heiling had their whole lives ahead of them—and they would still be alive today if it weren't for Noelia Saray Martinez-Avila—a criminal illegal alien from Honduras,' DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement. 'We are weak, weary and heart broken and need to rest,' Jen Heiling posted online following her son's tragic death. She said she hopes her son's harvested organs can save more lives, according to the West Central Tribune. The devastating crash wasn't Martinez-Avila's first time getting in trouble behind the wheel. She already had a drunk driving conviction from November 2020 and has had several other traffic violations since then for driving without a license, speeding, following too closely and inattentive driving, according to the Wisconsin State Journal. Martinez-Avila's rap sheet required her to have a special device in her car that blocks it from starting if she has alcohol in her system, according to the local news outlet. However, she did not have it installed during the fatal collision. DHS railed against the sanctuary policies in Dane County, where Madison is located. 'Unfortunately, this sanctuary jurisdiction has a history of not honoring ICE arrest detainers often leading to the release of murderers and other heinous criminals,' McLaughlin said. Martinez-Avila has been charged with two counts of felony vehicular homicide and impaired driving. ICE has since lodged a detainer to take the alleged killer into federal custody and pursue her deportation. Originally published as Heartbreaking video shows family's tearful send-off of teen whose organs were donated after being hit by alleged drunk illegal immigrant
New York Post
28-07-2025
- New York Post
Heartbreaking video shows family's tearful send-off of teen whose organs were donated after being hit by alleged drunk illegal immigrant
A heartbreaking video shows the final moments of a Wisconsin teen's life that was allegedly taken by an illegal immigrant drunk driver as his family gave their final goodbye before his organs were donated. Tearful family and friends surrounded the lifeless body of 19-year-old Brady Heiling as doctors wheeled him on a stretcher through a hospital hallway, according to a video posted by his mother, Jen Heiling. Draped across the front of the gurney was a sign that read 'DONATE LIFE,' a nod to his organ donation. 'Brady Allen Heiling you are soooooo LOVED!…' his mother wrote in the emotional post. Loved ones bid the teen, who was hooked up to a breathing machine, farewell as they leaned onto his chest and cried out. 4 Brady Heiling's family says goodbye to the beloved teen. Jen Heiling/Facebook 4 Heiling's organs were donated after the tragic wrong-way crash. Jen Heiling/Facebook Heiling, along with his 'love' Hallie Helgeson, 18, tragically died after an illegal immigrant drunk driver hit them while driving the wrong way on an interstate outside Madison, officials said. Honduran national Noelia Saray Martinez-Avila, 30, was drunk and driving her SUV the wrong direction on a highway outside Madison when she allegedly struck a vehicle and killed the two teens on July 20, according to police. Helgeson, who was a passenger in the vehicle, died at the scene, while Heiling, who was behind the wheel, clung to life for five days after he was airlifted from the wreck. He fought through multiple unsuccessful surgeries before succumbing to his injuries. 'Hallie Helgeson and Brady Heiling had their whole lives ahead of them—and they would still be alive today if it weren't for Noelia Saray Martinez-Avila—a criminal illegal alien from Honduras,' DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement. 4 Honduran national Noelia Saray Martinez-Avila, 30, was allegedly drunk when she drove her SUV the wrong way on a Madison highway and struck and killed Brady Heiling, 19, and Hallie Helgeson, 18. Dane County Sheriff's Office 'We are weak, weary and heart broken and need to rest,' Jen Heiling posted online following her son's tragic death. She said she hopes her son's harvested organs can save more lives, according to the West Central Tribune. The devastating crash wasn't Martinez-Avila's first time getting in trouble behind the wheel. She already had a drunk driving conviction from November 2020 and has had several other traffic violations since then for driving without a license, speeding, following too closely and inattentive driving, according to the Wisconsin State Journal. 4 Brady Heiling with his mother, father and two sisters. Jen Heiling/Facebook Martinez-Avila's rap sheet required her to have a special device in her car that blocks it from starting if she has alcohol in her system, according to the local news outlet. However, she did not have it installed during the fatal collision. DHS railed against the sanctuary policies in Dane County, where Madison is located. 'Unfortunately, this sanctuary jurisdiction has a history of not honoring ICE arrest detainers often leading to the release of murderers and other heinous criminals,' McLaughlin said. Martinez-Avila has been charged with two counts of felony vehicular homicide and impaired driving. ICE has since lodged a detainer to take the alleged killer into federal custody and pursue her deportation.
Daily Mail
28-07-2025
- Daily Mail
Haunting faces of teens who'd still be alive if it wasn't 'for female migrant who crossed border illegally'
Two Minnesota teenagers 'would still be alive today' if a drunk-driving illegal immigrant had not crashed into them, according to the Department of Homeland Security. Noelia Saray Martinez-Avila, a 30-year-old illegal immigrant from Honduras, was arrested after she allegedly drove on the wrong side of a Wisconsin highway and killed the young couple on July 20. Hallie Helgeson, 18, died at the scene, and her boyfriend, 19-year-old Brady Heiling succumbed to his injuries a few days later, reported the West Central Tribune. On Sunday, DHS announced they lodged an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainer against Martinez-Avila for her arrest and removal from the country. 'Hallie Helgeson and Brady Heiling had their whole lives ahead of them—and they would still be alive today if it weren't for Noelia Saray Martinez-Avila—a criminal illegal alien from Honduras,' said Assistant DHS Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. 'Martinez-Avila recklessly drove the wrong way on a highway while intoxicated and killed these two teens.' Martinez-Avila has been charged with homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle, homicide by the use of a vehicle, operating a vehicle while intoxicated and causing injury, knowingly operating a vehicle with a revoked license while causing death, knowingly operating a vehicle with a revoked license while causing bodily harm and failing to install an ignition interlock device and violating a court order. According to the court documents, when police arrived on scene they discovered the teens' damaged Volkswagen SUV and Martinez-Avila's Chevy SUV engulfed in flames, reported The Minnesota Star Tribune. The illegal migrant denied she had been drinking, but police reported seeing unopen cans of beer in her car and said she smelled of alcohol. A preliminary breath test measured her blood alcohol content at .208 percent, over two and half times the legal limit in Wisconsin. Court records shoe Martinez-Avila has a November 2020 conviction for drunk driving, and was supposed to have a device installed in her car that prevents it from starting if the driver has been drinking. However, she did not have that device installed when the crash occurred, according to the Wisconsin State Journal of Madison. After DHS announced their ICE detainer for Martinez-Avila, they accused Dane County officials of having a history of not honoring immigration detainers due to sanctuary polices. 'ICE has lodged an arrest detainer to remove this public safety threat from the U.S.,' McLaughlin said. 'Unfortunately, this sanctuary jurisdiction has a history of not honoring ICE arrest detainers often leading to the release of murderers and other heinous criminals Under Secretary Noem, these precious victims will not be forgotten, and we will fight for justice.' As of Monday, Martinez-Avila is being held in the Dane County jail in lieu of $250,000 bail for each count. Her next court appearance is scheduled for August 28. The Dane County Sheriff's Office told they are aware of the ICE detainer and said it is DHS's responsibility to obtain and present an arrest warrant signed by a judge so they can lawfully take custody of someone. 'Supporting crime victims remains one of our highest priorities. They deserve their opportunity for justice, and if an individual is found guilty, they should be held accountable through our court system,' said Sheriff Kalvin Barrett. 'Deporting someone before they face trial allows them to evade that accountability—it's essentially a "get out of jail free" card.' As of Monday, Martinez-Avila is being held in the Dane County jail in lieu of $250,000 bail for each count. Her next court appearance is scheduled for August 28. Helgeson graduated from Montevideo High School in May and had recently started working at an assisted living facility, according to her obituary. 'A dedicated and spirited student, she was involved in numerous activities and excelled both academically and athletically. She was a proud three-sport athlete, participating in tennis, basketball, and softball,' her obituary said. 'Hallie will be deeply missed by all who knew her, remembered for her warmth, kindness, big smile, and the light she brought into every space she entered.' Heiling had been airlifted to the University of Wisconsin Hospital, Madison, where he went through multiple surgeries before he passed away. 'We are weak, weary and heart broken and need to rest,' his mother, Jen Heiling, said on the family's CaringBridge site. He graduated from MACCRAY High School in 2024 and had been a three-sport athlete.
Fox News
27-07-2025
- Fox News
DHS: Two Wisconsin teens would 'still be alive' if not for sanctuary policies protecting illegal immigrant
An illegal alien from Honduras faces deportation after allegedly driving while intoxicated and crashing, killing two teenagers in Dane County, Wisconsin. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has lodged a detainer against 30-year-old Noelia Saray Martinez-Avila, who was charged in the deaths of 18-year-old Hallie Helgeson and 19-year-old Brady Heiling. "Hallie Helgeson and Brady Heiling had their whole lives ahead of them—and they would still be alive today if it weren't for Noelia Saray Martinez-Avila—a criminal illegal alien from Honduras," Assistant DHS Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said. "Martinez-Avila recklessly drove the wrong way on a highway while intoxicated and killed these two teens. "ICE has lodged an arrest detainer to remove this public safety threat from the U.S.," she continued. "Unfortunately, this sanctuary jurisdiction has a history of not honoring ICE arrest detainers often leading to the release of murderers and other heinous criminals. Under Secretary Noem, these precious victims will not be forgotten, and we will fight for justice." Martinez-Avila faces charges of homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle, homicide by the use of a vehicle, operating a vehicle while intoxicated and causing injury, knowingly operating a vehicle with a revoked license while causing death, knowingly operating a vehicle with a revoked license while causing bodily harm, failing to install an ignition interlock device and violating a court order, among other charges. The West Central Tribune reported that on July 20, Martinez-Avila was allegedly driving a Chevrolet Suburban the wrong way on I-90 when she collided with a Volkswagen Tiguan with Helgeson and Heiling inside. Helgeson, of Montevideo, died a short time after the crash, while Heiling was airlifted to an area hospital and treated for his injuries. Heiling ultimately died of his injuries. The publication also reported that Martinez-Avila was convicted of drunk driving in 2020 and was required to have an interlock device installed in her vehicle, preventing the vehicle from starting if she had been drinking. The Wisconsin State Journal of Madison reported that the interlock device was not installed at the time of the crash last week. Court records show that bond was set in the amount of $250,000 per case, and should Martinez-Avila post bond, she can only be released once pretrial services can outfit her with any necessary equipment. Martinez-Avila is also not permitted to consume or possess alcohol, operate a vehicle, or have contact with family members of the victims, among other things if released. DHS said ICE lodged a detainer for Martinez-Avila's arrest and removal from the U.S., noting that Dane County has historically not honored ICE detainers because of sanctuary jurisdiction policies.
