Mother Sent to Florida Prison for Aggravated Manslaughter After Not Putting Children in Car Seats, Leading to Their Deaths When Another Driver Failed to Yield

A Gainesville mother has been transferred to prison to serve a four-year sentence for two counts of aggravated manslaughter after a deadly crash took the lives of two of her children, Landon and Logan.

Earlier this month, Christina Shantell Gordan, 30, was transferred from the Alachua County Jail to the Florida Department of Corrections Women’s Reception Center. 

GnvInfo has obtained the full traffic crash fatality report, which is publicly available in the case file for the traffic citation against Dioslay Hondares Moreno, 50, the driver who hit Gordan. 

The report was submitted by Traffic Homicide Investigator Lynn Valdes. 

On July 10, 2025, Valdes responded to SW Williston RD (SR 311) and the 1-75 Northbound ramp in reference to the crash. An officer advised that the children in Gordan’s vehicle were not in car seats and had life-threatening injuries. 

Gordan sustained several injuries to include broken ribs, a broken femur, a broken pelvis and a brain injury. 

Gordan was driving a Nissan Altima while Hondares Moreno was driving a van. 

Two witnesses said they went to check on the Altima first and found Gordan in the driver’s seat. She directed them to check on her baby, Logan, between her legs on the driver floor board. The witnesses located Logan and were then alerted by Gordan of Landon, who was located in the front passenger floor board. 

Based on a report from TV20 after the crash, witnesses indicated that Hondares Moreno ran a red light but his son denied the allegation on his behalf.

According to the report, Hondares Moreno was transported to the hospital with minor injuries. Gordan was transported to the hospital with incapacitating injuries while her children had fatal injuries. 

Valdes reported, “I looked over the crash scene. I observed a blue Nissan Altima with heavy front-end damage facing in a Northeast direction, sitting in the outside westbound lane, just short of the on ramp roadway. I then saw a white utility van facing northwest, resting on the grass median between the North and Southbound on ramps. The van had significant damage to the front passenger wheel, and right front fender. The point of impact for the crash was located in the outside westbound lane, approximately one foot from the damaged front end of the Altima.”

Valdes made contact with Hondares-Moreno at the hospital and asked him questions with assistance from a Spanish speaking officer who acted as an interpreter. 

According to the report, “Hondares Moreno advised he had left his house in Williston and was on his way to work. He was traveling east in the left-turn lane on SW Williston RD to get onto the interstate. He observed headlights in the distance, but thought it was clear, so he made the turn. He said the traffic light was flashing yellow for the turn lane. Hondares Moreno stated he tried to check on the other driver, but was told to stay still because of possible injuries he had. When questioned about his seatbelt being on, Hondares Moreno stated, ‘Yes.’ This is confirmed by evidence in the vehicle. Hondares Moreno advised that he does not wear eyeglasses, and is not on any prescriptions. He also advised that he had not had any alcohol in the past 24 hours.”

Valdes observed no indication of impairment when speaking to Hondares Moreno. He consented to searches relating to the crash and his vehicle, along with a blood draw. 

Valdes made contact with Gordan at the Intensive Care Unit.  

“I was driving, I had a green light, and the next thing you know I was hit,” said Gordan. She estimated her speed to be at 40-45 miles per hour, which is the speed limit. 

Valdes reported, “Gordan advised that she does have a prescription for ‘muscle relaxers’ that she takes for pain in her back. She said it had been a couple days since she last took a pill. When asked if Gordan had any alcohol or drugs in the last 24 hours, she stated, ‘I don't drink; I don't do drugs.’ Gordan told me that Landon and Logan were in the front passenger seat of the vehicle. When asked if they were seat belted in, Gordan replied, ‘Yea.’ I know this statement to be inconsistent with evidence inside the vehicle. Gordan advised me that she suffered a broken right arm and broken ribs from the crash. I also observed that Gordan's forehead had several lacerations, consistent with striking the windshield.”

Valdes observed no indication of impairment when speaking to Gordan. She consented to searches relating to the crash and her vehicle, along with a blood draw. Lab results further confirmed that alcohol/drugs were not a contributing factor.  

The witnesses reported that the Altima was turning onto the I-75 ramp when the van, also turning onto the ramp, collided.

An officer responded to Elite Towing to conduct a read of the data for both vehicles.

The data for the Altima shows that the front and passenger seatbelts were not fastened at the time of the crash. The data indicates Gordan was driving under the speed limit but there “was no indication of braking or steering to avoid the crash,” the report states. 

When speaking to an investigator with the Department of Children and Families, Gordan reportedly said that both children were buckled in the front passenger seat. 

According to a description of body camera footage in the report, a deputy “remained with Gordan until relieved by EMS. During their time together, the Deputy asks Gordan if she was wearing her seat belt. Gordan responds, ‘No.’ The Deputy also asks if the children were seat belted in. Gordan again responds, ‘No.’ The Deputy asks where the children were sitting. Gordan states, ‘They were both up front’ gesturing to the passenger seat."

The data for the van shows Hondares Moreno was wearing his seatbelt. Speed and steering indicated the van was going 22 mph five seconds prior to impact and it coasted down to 18 mph just before impact while making a steady turn. "Based on the data there were no braking or steering inputs made that would indicate the driver tried to avoid the crash,” according to the report. 

Valdes attended the autopsies of Logan and Landon and observed physical trauma on both of their bodies. 

An inspection of Hondares Moreno’s vehicle showed there “is no interior rear view mirror and the rear door windows are painted over, so the driver could not see through the windows even if he had an interior rearview mirror,” the report states. 

There have been rumors on social media that Gordan was unable to afford car seats; however, the report states, "While taking photos of the trunk, it was also discovered that an infant car seat without the base was found [inside]... The 'Evenflo Nuturemax' Infant car seat, was in good condition, within warranty, and did not appear to have any defects."

Landon and Logan’s father reportedly told Valdes that Gordan “did have car seats for each child” and “stated the children were always in car seats and that [Gordan] normally drove them in her vehicle, the Nissan Altima.” 

Based on the autopsy, Landon and Logan’s lack of restraints was a defining factor in their deaths. 

“Based on witness accounts, head trauma noted by the medical examiner, and blood on the steering wheel airbag, it is my belief that Logan was riding on Christina's lap at the time of the crash,” reported Valdes. “I believe Logan was struck by the airbag, and then fell to the driver's floor board, where he was located by the witnesses. As for Landon, I believe he was sitting in the front seat, unrestrained at the time of the crash. As a result of the forces in the crash, I believe he was launched into the passenger dash/floor board when he was located by the witnesses.”

Valdes concluded, “Based on the speeds of both vehicles in the crash, it is my belief that had Logan and Landon been properly secured in car seats installed on the rear seat of the vehicle, Logan and Landon's catastrophic injuries would have not have occurred and more than likely they would have survived the crash with minor, if any injury.”

Valdes determined that Hondares Moreno failed to yield while Gordan committed aggravated manslaughter by culpable negligence. 

Court records show Hondares Moreno fought the civil traffic case but he was ultimately adjudicated guilty for failing to yield. 

Hondares Moreno was not criminally charged.  

On February 18, 2026, Gordan was arrested on a warrant for two counts of aggravated manslaughter and held on a $40,000 bond set by Judge Jonathan Ramsey.

On February 24, 2026, Gordan’s public defender motioned to reduce the bond. The motion states, “[Gordan] was seriously injured in the accident. She suffered a significant brain injury that required extensive rehabilitation for mobility, speech, and essential functions. [Gordan] has limited memory of the events of the past several years… [Gordan] did not flee the jurisdiction in the approximately 9 months between the accident and her arrest… [Gordan] is in a state of mourning… [Gordan]'s mother, sister, nieces and nephews, and church are all located in Alachua County. [Gordan] attends church at First Faith Assembly Church on Wednesdays and Sundays each week… [Gordan] has no criminal history… [Gordan] is six months pregnant… [Gordan] was employed at the time of her arrest for approximately 1 week as a CNA… [Gordan] was employed with the same employer for approximately one year prior to the accident… This job has likely been lost due to her arrest.” 

Judge Denise Ferrero granted the motion and released Gordan on recognizance under the conditions she reside with family and not drive a vehicle with minor passengers. 

Under the sentencing guidelines, Gordan’s maximum sentence would be life and her lowest permissible sentence was roughly 24 years in prison. However, prosecutors agreed to greatly depart from the sentencing guidelines in a plea agreement. Gordan agreed to plead no-contest to the charges and in exchange her maximum prison sentence was capped at five years. 

Judge Denise Ferrero sentenced Gordan to four years in prison followed by 15 years of probation. 

Ahead of the sentencing hearing, several individuals wrote letters of support for Gordan including former colleagues and her pastors. 

Gordan also wrote a letter for Ferrero to consider: 

Gordan is scheduled to be released in 2030. 

Editor’s Notes: Quotes from the traffic report contain slight edits to fix grammatical errors.