Woman Who Died After Jumping Out Of Moving Vehicle Identified As 20-Year-Old Mother Of 2

BREA (CBSLA) — Police are trying to figure out why a woman fatally jumped out of a moving vehicle in Orange County Monday morning.

The woman has been been identified as 20-year-old mother of two Dezirae Mendoza of Anaheim. According to Brea police, Mendoza received serious head injuries when she jumped from the van at 1:26 a.m. on Imperial Highway at Laurel Avenue.

Police had been searching for the male driver of the minivan Monday before he was taken into custody in L.A. County and released after questioning. He reportedly dropped off the two other female passengers a short distance from where Mendoza jumped out of the vehicle before fleeing the scene.

Police said the car was going about 40 miles per hour when Mendoza jumped.

Mendoza was taken to UCI Medical Center in Orange where she was pronounced dead.

"Heartbroken, I mean like I said, she had dreams and ambitions, and we all were supporting her," Mendoza's cousin Frank Madrid told reporters Monday afternoon at a vigil. "We all were happy supporting her, we all were happy to see her do so well at this time in her life. I mean, she had the world in front of her, 20 years old.[...] There's no reason why any parent should have to bury their children."

Another cousin told CBS2 he received a text message from Mendoza around midnight with no indication she was in trouble.

Police said no charges will be filed until they get a report from the coroner. The driver was not being considered a suspect at the time, police said.

A GoFundMe campaign was started for Mendoza's two young boys, a 4-year-old and baby just 9 months old.

(© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)