A Southern California father has pleaded guilty to felony incest and misdemeanor providing alcohol to a minor after his 18-year-old daughter took her own life months later, according to Ventura County authorities.
The Ventura County District Attorney’s Office stated that Stephen Vincent Chavez’s biological daughter, Makayla, was staying with him at his residence in Moorpark—about an hour northwest of Los Angeles—last July. Investigators and prosecutors conducted additional interviews, reviewed new forensic testing and medical evaluations, and analyzed electronic evidence to build the case.
According to the district attorney’s office, after a day of drinking at a family gathering, Chavez purchased alcohol for himself and Makayla to consume at home. He then engaged in sexual intercourse with her. Makayla tragically took her own life in December 2025.
Chavez, 41, pleaded guilty in May to felony incest and misdemeanor providing alcohol to a minor. In his plea, he admitted “he took advantage of a position of trust and that the victim was particularly vulnerable.” Several members of Makayla’s family addressed the court during sentencing and provided emotional victim impact statements describing the lasting trauma caused by Chavez’s actions and the devastating loss of their daughter.
