Kitchen Gets 8 Years for Intoxicated Hit and Run Death of Daughter and Friend

Supporters of Kiya and Faith declined to speak as they left the courthouse after the verdict today.

Court attendees declined to speak as they left the courthouse after the verdict today. [Photo by Ryan Hutson]

More than two years after the deaths of 14-year-old girls, Kiya Kitchen and Faith Tsarnas in a hit and run accident that occurred while they had been skateboarding in a rural area near Fortuna, the mother of one of the girls, Marci Kitchen, was sentenced to 8 years in prison for the drunk driving incident. After testimony from multiple witnesses today that left onlookers in the courtroom weeping, Judge Kaleb Cockrum said that he “didn’t believe” her story that she thought she had hit a deer when she left the scene.

Joe Kitchen, the father of Kiya and former husband of Marci, began his testimony by stating that his former wife, “left Kiya to die alone, confused and suffering in pain.” Then noting that Kiya was born on his birthday stated, “Marci gave her to me, and then she killed her.”

He said her actions were unforgivable.

Links to earlier stories:

 

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rickyg
Guest
rickyg
5 years ago

But if u grow a plant they take your world not life just everything you worked hard for?? Mabey we should all take more chances and cook dope ….

WC 666
Guest
WC 666
5 years ago
Reply to  rickyg

Growing a plant is illegal too.

SoHum Senior
Guest
SoHum Senior
5 years ago

APPALLING!!!!!! only 8 years…. Justice was NOT served!!!!

Shaka
Guest
Shaka
5 years ago
Reply to  SoHum Senior

That’s Bullshit!

hmm
Guest
hmm
5 years ago
Reply to  SoHum Senior

Justice was served, just not revenge.

Guest
Guest
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  SoHum Senior

Agreed. Wonder why her exact charges and Judge weren’t reported? Definitely not Just. Fleeing the scene is an additional 5 yrs in vehicular manslaughter… being on the run after murdering 2 girls, one her own child while drunk driving! Insane. Minimum 25 yrs would of been Just & lawful. Seems she has been getting favoritism the entire time. 10 yrs each girl she killed plus 5 yrs for fleeing the scene… at a minimum 15-25 yrs =Justice, she should get life considering all the shenanigans she pulled. Reporting what she was charged with would be informative. Did the court even take away her drivers license this entire time. Guaranteed if there was better investigation, she had some sort of malicious intent & in that case, Life in prison.

Emeral
Guest
Emeral
5 years ago

Justice comes in many forms, you dont know what happens behind prison walls. I personally wouldn’t be able to even continue after running over my own child. Fuckkked

J
Guest
J
5 years ago
Reply to  Emeral

Right? Like if she doesn’t kill herself or get murdered in jail I’ll be shocked.

guest
Guest
guest
5 years ago
Reply to  Emeral

not necessarily… if you’re normal, yes but psychopaths, narcissist and sociopaths don’t feel guilt or empathy. This is why they can lie & pass lie detector test while lying. She shows signs of these mental disorders from her actions and behavior.

Jayded1
Guest
Jayded1
5 years ago

I know a man sitting in prison for 20 years for “attemped murder” his victim still lives on to see another day. Yet this woman kills two people, one of which is her daughter, and only gets 8?

Im calling bullshit on the system.

Cove broseph
Guest
Cove broseph
5 years ago
Reply to  Jayded1

Women usually always get a lighter sentence than men for the same crime

guest
Guest
guest
5 years ago
Reply to  Cove broseph

Not all women, a certain demographic. Who’s the Judge in this case?

R-DOG
Guest
R-DOG
5 years ago
Reply to  Cove broseph

I guess that means it’s ok to go get all bugard up and drive hell you can even run over your own family and get away with it hell if you can do that you should get no time at all for runing over somebody else thats not family RIP

Dan Jenkins
Guest
Dan Jenkins
5 years ago

What do you think she will actually serve after time off for good behavior? There are no winners here, but damn, that’s an insult to the entire community. Disgraceful all the way around.

Terry
Guest
Terry
5 years ago
Reply to  Dan Jenkins

I bet no more than 2 years.

Me
Guest
Me
5 years ago

She didn’t plan to do it. It was an accident, and yes, she was driving drunk, and yes, she tried to cover it up. Yes, eight years isn’t, or doesn’t seem, long enough for the deaths of two young women. I am absolutely NOT defending Kitchen, but by law, it was an accident.

Joe phillips
Guest
Joe phillips
5 years ago
Reply to  Me

Bullshit she new better than to drink and drive she killed to young kids and she only gets eight years well fuck me Justice is not served once again system failed

MamaG
Guest
MamaG
5 years ago
Reply to  Me

Once someone gets behind the wheel drunk, it’s no longer an accident. She murdered these children & should spend the rest of her life in a cell 😡

Lone ranger
Guest
Lone ranger
5 years ago
Reply to  Me

It was an accident when she hit them, thats worth 8yrs alone, but needs 20yrs for hit and run ,and left two kids dying, instead of helping them, it’s the run part here that needed more attention.

J
Guest
J
5 years ago
Reply to  Lone ranger

Yep, who knows if one or both would have lived with immediate medical attention. Regardless leaving the scene after hitting someone and then hiding evidence should have a much longer punishment and times 2 in this case.

Sleazy-T
Guest
Sleazy-T
5 years ago
Reply to  J

What was her BAC?

Terry
Guest
Terry
5 years ago
Reply to  Lone ranger

And what about trying to get her own son to take the fall?

J
Guest
J
5 years ago
Reply to  Terry

I forgot about that, yep, that should definitely add time. And when the victim’s family request no please deal, that should be honored.

Me_too
Guest
Me_too
5 years ago
Reply to  Me

Go ahead and use that excuse next time you get behind the wheel after a drink or you children are hurt by a drunk driver.

Simone Whipple
Guest
Simone Whipple
5 years ago
Reply to  Me

Perhaps you have followed this more closely than I have.
How was it ‘accidental’ to drive to find these girls on a frontage road, and run them down, while drunk?

I buy strawberries down that road, and have seen the Teddy bear, flowers, and 2 crosses, at the memorial site. That is a long straight stretch of road, with sparse traffic, and no obstructed view. How could the deaths of those 2 young women be ‘accidental’?

We all focus on this woman killing her own daughter; but she killed 2 innocent people, and she had to hunt them down to do it.

If the killer received 11 years for each death, 22 years seem a bit more just. This sentence is just 4 years for each victim is another wound for all of us.

hmm
Guest
hmm
5 years ago
Reply to  Me

People dont care about the law, or about justice. They have bad feels and want her to suffer. If it were up to them she would be tortured in disgusting ways.

Guest
Guest
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  hmm

Generally I doubt anyone who has “bad feelings” over this would enjoy torturing anyone. Mostly I think people want to be reassured that the penalty, if they or their own had been hurt, would be severe enough to reflect that the lost lives had more value than the life of the person who took them. That they are not treated as having little value by the courts.

It’s seen as fair that people who are so careless of others are penalized enough that, even if they are not people capable of empathy, they and others like them will be less dangerous to the innocent through self interest. In order words, until the guilty cry “enough.” And certainly Ms. Kitchen’s action have lead people to believe she had not taken her crime seriously enough.

I don’t know that life works like that. There’s a strong tendency of people to excuse their behavior when they know better. But it’s understandable.

299 Commuter
Guest
299 Commuter
5 years ago

The law needs to be changed. If you are drunk or under the influence of drugs, it is no longer an accident.

antichrist
Guest
antichrist
5 years ago
Reply to  299 Commuter

sure because when someone is drunk they think clearly…. or when they are high, it doesnt truely doesnt effect or impair thinking right ? . remember we jave a legal system not a justice systwm in this country. there is a differance and that is why people get upset. the lengrh of jail prison or even amount of fines or fees is not ment to be something that is revenge or even equal. it is merely the price one must pay for actions taken. prison or jail both are ment to rehabiliate a person so they can function in socitity. it is not ment to be a purgatory of sorts.
that is why so many people get upset at things. also why so many dont evencare to bother with calling enforcement because in the end it does nothing except collect fines and ensure more jobs to the mega corperate bullies that run train jails police and lawyers.
think about this. police officers work their cases based upon what a da will agree to charge . lawyers are all members of the bar. most law makers are also members of the bar. your lawyer you call when you are cjarged .. also members of the bar. the judges ruling that cases… also members of the bar… get the picture ? doesnt matter either which way the bar is tje common theme and there is zero oversite.

Kim
Guest
Kim
5 years ago

I agree with you 299. When you choose to drive under the influence you should fully expect that you are killing someone sometime down the line. The laws need to change. And its up to us as citizens to push for this change.

Steve
Guest
Steve
5 years ago

No it’s called what goes around comes around.

Word
Guest
Word
5 years ago

Oh please. A little dramatic. She may or may not get roughed up but keep in mind they are all criminals in prison. That’s an old story on the molesters and wife beaters getting offed in the big house. She will be among women who did the same kind of crime as her. Low life’s

Tori
Guest
Tori
5 years ago

Sickening that she only gets eight years!

Ice
Guest
Ice
5 years ago

She will be in the “Sensitive needs ” yard from day one. ( protective custody). No one got to her in County, and I doubt they will in State custody…Eoght years is a joke since she will only serve 4 at the max…

JustWantToHeartheEndoftheStory
Guest
JustWantToHeartheEndoftheStory
5 years ago

Eight years is ninety six months, with good time work time, she’ll do 32 months, then get out and start her life over. Nope, not enough for two lives. And for those who say, oh, she’s suffering because her daughter is dead, yeah, right. The tears she shed in court were for herself, no one else.

Anonymous
Guest
Anonymous
5 years ago

I dislike mass incarceration but something is obviously wrong in california. She doesnt deserve to be free. Accident my ass

Rhonda
Guest
Rhonda
5 years ago

8 yrs, she already did 2 in county jail? That leaves 6, off early for good behavior possibly, then she is down to 3 yrs??? WTF!!!😡 and…2 little girls did not get to live their lives☹️ Sickening.

bro T
Guest
bro T
5 years ago
Reply to  Rhonda

I don’t think she’s done 2 years in county. Not sure how much but I don’t think it’s even close to 2 years.

onlooker
Guest
onlooker
5 years ago
Reply to  Rhonda

She did not spend two years in county jail. She was out on bail until about 10 days ago.

Bruce wayne
Guest
Bruce wayne
5 years ago
Reply to  Rhonda

She did not do two years she did two weeks are you not from here or just comment and don’t read the articles?

JP
Guest
JP
5 years ago
Reply to  Rhonda

Who hold up misinformed. When did she do 2 years. What I saw was that she posted 750k cash bond and has been free since day 1. When did she do the 2 years in jail part. This is a disgusting sentence as is. No lies nessasary

Oralee Mcalexander
Guest
Oralee Mcalexander
5 years ago
Reply to  Rhonda

She has not served any time , well a few days before her sentencing & that’s it!!! She has been free on bail for the last 2 years & has gone out of the country & on numerous other vacations until they took her passport away from her & restricted her from taking vacations!!!

Charles R Thomas
Guest
Charles R Thomas
5 years ago

At a minimum, she should have gotten 8 years for each child. 16 years with no possibility of probation.

Shadow
Guest
Shadow
5 years ago

I find such vindictiveness distasteful.  I have lost a child and I’m familiar with the incredible pain that never goes away.  I’m going to assume that pain would be much worse if I was responsible for my child’s death.  Marci’s punishment needs not be added to by those who seek blind revenge.   Should see receive a judicial punishment let it be for the purpose of deterring her and the next person from driving intoxicated not for making her suffer more than she already is.

Bruce Wayne
Guest
Bruce Wayne
5 years ago
Reply to  Shadow

Wow really you actually believe that this is a learning experience for the community of drinking and driver’s.wisen up drunks don’t care about statistics or other peoples crimes!!

Tavistock
Guest
Tavistock
5 years ago
Reply to  Bruce Wayne

Outlaw alcohol.
Outlaw cars
..Maybe we can bring bank eugenics.

JustWantToHeartheEndoftheStory
Guest
JustWantToHeartheEndoftheStory
5 years ago
Reply to  Shadow

Sorry for your loss, Shadow, but how do you know she’s suffering? While out on bail she traveled to Mexico and Colombia, attended birthday parties in Oregon. Does that sound like a grieving mother? If she was truly sorry, she would have pled guilty two years ago, instead of inflicting continual misery on her remaining child (who she wanted to take the blame for the deaths)

WC 666
Guest
WC 666
5 years ago

He’ll. After she plead guilty that pisd any judge let her stay out of jail for labor day weekend. One last party. Recall that judge.

JP
Guest
JP
5 years ago

She was denied the party in oregon for her brother in law

Fortunian
Guest
Fortunian
5 years ago
Reply to  Shadow

Shadow, the punishment is not to rehabilitate her. It is to punish her for KILLING two innocent children while driving drunk. When a person climbs into a car intoxicated you are immediately committing a crime. To take a person’s life should be murder one. Because a person should know that their driving ability is impaired and anything that happens is almost like planning it to happen. What this judgement has told others is that as long as you have no previous record your punishment will not fit the crime. Shame on you judge! I hope the payoff was worth it. You need to removed from the bench.

Muddy Black Dodge
Guest
5 years ago

Oh no, Not a slap on the wrist. She did her wrong on purpose! Then hid her Jeep under a tarp in her back yard, to hide the evidence! One of the kids died in a stranger’s arms at the seen, less than a 1/2 mile from her home. ‘Kitchen’ (presumably) could the paramedics sirens as she hid…! Discussed with the system!!!

Life is Good
Guest
Life is Good
5 years ago

If she had $150k for the original defense team she would have walked. It’s a sad truth but the system is set up for those with money. The law, by attorneys for attorneys.

No justice!!
Guest
No justice!!
5 years ago

The fact that they dismissed the dui charge and the hit and run charge means that she gets away with getting in that car drunk, and gets away with lying and trying to hide it and the awful things she asked her poor innocent son to do. She as charged with four crimes, of which she is guilty AF of all four, not just two. She should have gotten more than the full 11 years. Getting only 8, no justice for those two poor girls and their families who will suffer forever. [edt] Karma. I will be careful not to wish ill will just wish that she gets her karma.

Brutus
Guest
Brutus
5 years ago
Reply to  No justice!!

They had to dismiss the DUI charge, because you can’t be charged with both vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and DUI causing injury. It’s the law, like it or not. I can’t believe everyone is outraged about the eight years. She was eligible for probation in this case and had no prior criminal record. If you read the LoCo story the defense attorney said she had never seen a person immediately sentenced to prison in a case where the defendant was eligible for probation and had no record. Eight years was a big surprise to people familiar with criminal law and local sentencings. This is a young judge who has a few elections ahead of him. I think he was cowed by the howling mob. The death of these two young girls is a terrible tragedy that has ruined many lives, but the law needs to be applied fairly. Yes she had been drinking and yes she left the scene. Bad! But no-one can really believe she did it on purpose.

Dennis
Guest
Dennis
5 years ago

On one hand I feel for her. But justice was not served in any way.

namaste
Guest
namaste
5 years ago

Greedy growers acting accordingly

Crusty
Guest
Crusty
5 years ago

Lone Ranger and shadow both have wise words

Kick cockrum off the bench
Guest
Kick cockrum off the bench
5 years ago

Hope they put her in gen pop, if anyone finds out she is getting any special treatment pls let us all know.
This judge deserves to be taken off the bench.
She went on 3 vacations since running her kid down&somehow this sentence is supposed to be justice? If she was poor she would have been in jail this whole time, & i bet with our new bail rules she would not have been let out in the first place. If you can afford that amount of bail youre probably a flight risk.

Shadow
Guest
Shadow
5 years ago

Does that sound like a grieving Mother? Grief has many faces. One might also wonder was there really any action after the accident that would of helped with her son’s misery.

Elvis Costanza
Guest
Elvis Costanza
5 years ago

What a wrenching nightmare for (almost) everyone involved. Marci seems to be a narcissistic sociopath with zero conscience. She is going to have a hellish time in prison.

I like stars too!
Guest
I like stars too!
5 years ago

This woman’s life is effectively over. Her daughter is dead. Her husband divorced her. The rest of her life is a shambles, and she now will be incarcerated. This all sounds like slow torture to me.

Have some compassion, as nobody can bring her daughter back, or erase the bad judgement that lead to this situation.

Ultimately, the use of alcohol and drugs will bring misery and death. In an environment tolerant of drugs, pot, and intoxication, what do you all expect? What punishment is greater than a mother losing a child?

Rob
Guest
Rob
5 years ago

I agree. The long dark nights in her cell with nothing to think about but this tragedy and everything in the wake of it. Most certainly punishing. The older she gets. The harder it will get. The rest of her life will be turmoil. And i wish that on no one. I have compassion for her. And all involved in this senseless tragedy. Condolences to the families. Hope they can find peace and move on.

Guest
Guest
Guest
5 years ago

I’d say that for many people, that would be true but this is a woman who not only killed her own child and another in an DUI accident but then left her by the side of the road to die, without even a call for medical help, while she took actions to protect herself. That does not speak well for the idea she is going to suffer remorse for what she did.

I saw what drugs do to people’s thinking when I stopped at an accident where a woman high on something drove into a tree, killing her child. She was so unable to focus on her children, that while uninjured herself, she barely was concerned for the whereabouts of either the deceased child or the other one who was injured. Strangers took care of dead child’s body and the injured one when the car caught fire. At least this woman also lack of concern for her own situation, so I remember thinking how bad it will be when she sobers up enough to be aware in general. Later I heard that was what happened. But Ms. Kitchen was not so impaired as to be unable to be concerned for her own well being, just not her daughter’s.

Pot meet kettle
Guest
Pot meet kettle
5 years ago

Right? Ppl serve and guzzle booze non-stop around here. Even a low key kmud evening jam fundraising event has to have hard alcohol COCKTAILS? Then everyone just drives away .

Tavistock
Guest
Tavistock
5 years ago

Hypocrisy at its finest

Wow
Guest
Wow
5 years ago

Does not seem like justice. She might have to grieve the rest of her life for her own child, if she does that, but she should have gotten a longer sentence for the other family. People get longer sentences without taking a life. And I agree that if you drive drunk and kill someone it is murder.

This Is My Name
Guest
This Is My Name
5 years ago

Does anyone know the name of the woman on the left in purple? She looks very familiar, but I can’t place where I have seen her.

Our system if a joke
Guest
Our system if a joke
5 years ago

This dirt bag deserves to suffer!!!!!!!!!!! Just like those kids did laying on the side of the road dying… Meanwhile the driver, the mother of one of the children took time the time to go home hide her car and try to clean up whatever evidence was left… what a sick joke! Those kids might of had a chance if she called for help… this lady deserves to suffer in the worst way possible… 8 years? that is an insult to both families 🙁 if she had any kind of guilt at all she would of turned herself in years ago, knowing that she was out traveling the world, free, and living life is down right disgusting! There is no compassion for her, at least she is alive unlike those kids that were never given a chance, they don’t get to go to college, get married, have kids, they don’t get to travel the world like this sick lady did, their lives where taken by a disgusting excuse for a person! Suffer in hell you selfish individual, my only wish is that she gets put in general pop and they destroy her physically and mentally! R.I.P to both these beautiful children Fly free and haunt the hell of Marci Kitchen!!!!!!!!!!

Word
Guest
Word
5 years ago

It’s finally over. What injustice will we scream and yell at next? I’m sure we will have lots to pick from, after all this is Humboldt. Blessings to the young girls killed and to the family and friends of these girls. May you find some release.

guest
Guest
guest
5 years ago
Reply to  Word

Werd! Word.

Joan Dunning
Guest
Joan Dunning
5 years ago

Really? Pays to be white and female. The fact that she drove away after hitting them is, perhaps, the worst part. I agree with the person who suggested 25 years. 8? Unreal.

Tavistock
Guest
Tavistock
5 years ago
Reply to  Joan Dunning

Become a judge, then you may get your chance for a lifetime of bitterness and hate and a chance to make it better by sentencing people to die in the chair.

Joan Dunning
Guest
Joan Dunning
5 years ago

I would give her 8 years—- to start—— for the suffering she has caused her poor son. And then, I would give her 25 years for killing each girl. 58 years, When she would be released, then , maybe, people could feel justice had been served. 8 years for all of it is an insult.

Coletta A Hughes
Guest
Coletta A Hughes
5 years ago

At least she’s going to understand what being a worthless felon is by the end of around 4 years when she will probably be getting out. Hopefully she won’t be so spoiled and selfish next time she’s free and putting the key in the ignition. If she would have just pulled over this would probably all be behind her by now. But she’s alway live with the fact that she horrifically killed her own child while drunk. At this point it’s really none of my business anymore… justice has been served, may everyone’s life involved begin the healing process and hopefully improve.