VISTA — A readiness conference for a man charged with manslaughter in the death of an Encinitas girl was delayed until Feb. 23 after an unexpected court filing.
Eddie Sengendo, 44, is charged with misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter in connection with an April 25 collision that resulted in the death of 12-year-old Emery Chalekian, a sixth-grade student at Park Dale Lane Elementary School who hung her own pastel pencil drawing of ballet shoes next to a Picasso quote on her bedroom wall.
On April 25, 2025, Emery was crossing Encinitas Boulevard in a marked crosswalk when she was struck by a Nissan Xterra, according to the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office.
She died at the scene.
Sengendo’s legal team submitted a mitigation packet — a collection of letters to the District Attorney’s Office and the judge.
Kristin Marshall, a prosecutor with the DA’s Office, said in court that the move was “highly unusual.”
A mitigation packet, or statements in mitigation, is typically filed before sentencing in an effort to portray the defendant in a favorable light. The packet must be filed and served at least four days before sentencing, according to the California Rules of Court.
Marshall said she plans to file statements in aggravation ahead of the Feb. 23 court date, including documents detailing the impact of Emery’s death on the community.
Jay Temple, Sengendo’s attorney, said his client was “mindful and sensitive” to the family’s desire to be heard, while also expressing a “willingness and eagerness, in fact, to accept responsibility and bring closure to this case as soon as possible.”
Sengendo was present in court on Jan. 13 — unlike at his November arraignment, when he was lawfully absent — and forfeited his passport under the conditions previously agreed at his prior hearing.
Emery’s parents, Bridget and John Chalekian, told The Coast News they appreciated the efforts of Marshall, the District Attorney’s Office, and the supporters and well-wishers throughout the process. More than two dozen supporters, many wearing yellow shirts bearing Emery’s name, attended the hearing on Tuesday.
“We would like to see him repay his debt to society for what he did, killing Emery, and everything he did not do after that, to attempt to demonstrate he cares for our family and community [that he] forever affected,” John Chalekian said in a text to The Coast News. “Trying to apologize does not make one culpable; it makes them human.”
In addition to ballet, Emery was active in Girl Scouts, where she was a member of Troop 1177.
In a social media post shortly after Emery’s death, troop leader Brittany Emal Hurd described her as a “radiant” and “playful” presence who connected easily with others and emerged as a guiding presence among her peers.
Hurd said Emery was “clearly on her way to becoming a confident and influential young woman.”
CORRECTION: A previous version of this article incorrectly described the fatal collision. We regret the error.
