Woman says social media model ‘destroyed’ family by killing brother in Miami crash

MIAMI – You could feel the pain through the screen Friday as Silvia Molina Cruz spoke to Local 10 News from Nicaragua.

She never got to say goodbye to her brother, Abraham Ismael. He and his friend were killed in a crash on Aug. 10 that Miami police said was the result of a speeding social media model who said she was a time-traveler, high on a party drug known as “pink cocaine.”

“My heart is break(ing) because I couldn’t say goodbye,” Molina Cruz said.

Ismael was on his way to work that morning with his fiancee, Juanita Hernandez, and his friend, Jesus Rubio.

Police said Maecee Marie Lathers, 24, of Miami Gardens, put her foot on the gas at “100% acceleration,” driving nearly 80 mph on North Miami Avenue when she blew the red light at Eighth Street and slammed into a black Range Rover, which then slammed into Ismael’s car.

Ismael and Rubio would later die, while Hernandez would come out alive, but badly hurt. Ismael leaves behind a 16-year-old.

Police said Lathers had to be kept from walking away from the scene by bystanders and later told officers she was high on “tusi,” a party drug also known as “pink cocaine.”

Tusi, or 2C, is described in a 2023 medical journal article as “a new ketamine concoction” also known as “pink cocaine.” That same year, Local 10 News produced a special report on the “nightclub narcotic,” said at the time to be the number one drug seized at Miami International Airport.

Authorities said Lathers also claimed to have a “crystal ball” and that she was “from the future.”

Molina Cruz had a pointed message for the model, who faces a multitude of charges, including two counts of reckless vehicular homicide.

“It took part of our life. You broke (our) family,” Molina Cruz said. “You (took) the only love we have. You destroyed (our) family.”

Ismael’s family is trying to raise money for his funeral. They have set up a GoFundMe page to help with final expenses.

Lathers is set to be arraigned Sept. 3. Prosecutors have said the upstate New York native will likely face DUI manslaughter charges pending the results of a toxicology test.