A mother’s anguish

It was a normal Sunday in the hope-filled, bright new life she and her children were building in the United States after a harrowing journey from Ecuador, Gabriela Samaniego said. Her beautiful daughter Scarleth had baked a cake and had gone to the beach to celebrate a friend’s birthday with selfies and an East End sunset.

But in a dark turn that’s every parent’s worst fear, Gabriela waited and waited, but her daughter never walked through the door of their home again, never ran into her mother’s open arms for a fierce embrace. She was killed in a horrific DWI crash that left six other teens injured, police said.

And now Gabriela’s broken heart is left trying to make sense of the unthinkable, to carry on for her son, when the weight of life without her daughter seems unbearable.

Speaking with Patch, Gabriela paid tribute to her precious child. “My daughter was very sociable, charismatic, and always wanted to help others,” she said. “Responsible, studious, and loving, she dreamed of being part of the Army and being a pilot.”

Her daughter’s heart was brimming with love, she said. “She always helped those in need with her phrases. She always said, ‘Life is a great lesson in humility.'”

Scarleth told her brother that, she said, as they worked around the house. Scarleth, she said, enjoyed cooking. “She loved to bake cookies and cakes,” she said.

Most of all, her daughter’s shining hallmark was her “strong character and good heart,” she said. Describing that last day, June 15, Gabriela said her daughter had made a cake at home for a friend’s birthday. “They went to the beach to take pictures and eat the cake. She told me she would be back in about three hours. She left home at 5 in the afternoon. A friend picked her up at home.”

Questions linger, Gabriela said — she cannot understand why her daughter was returning home in a different car. She didn’t know the boy who was driving; he was a friend of one of the girls, she said.

Describing the anguish of that dark night, Gabriela remembered the waiting, the worrying — the ever-mounting fear. “I called her, and she didn’t answer. It was a nightmare.”

She added: “Why didn’t she call me to go and pick her up?”

The question will remain unanswered.

And now, all she has are the memories of her tender-hearted, caring girl, she said. “My soul is broken, and a piece of my heart is missing.”

But, Gabriela said, while the grief is heavy, she knows that she must continue — she must hold on to resolve, to carry on in memory of her daughter.

The community has opened its arms to hold Gabriela and her son close during their time of great sorrow, she said. “There are letters from friends, showing their respect for her memory,” she said. “It was a very nice gesture, to know that my daughter touched their hearts.”

Of Scarleth, she said: “She was a good girl who matured very quickly due to life’s circumstances. She had a very difficult childhood, since we come from the countryside.”

She and Scarleth, as well as her son Jack Urgiles, left Ecuador together, forging a path forward — a mother doing what she had to, for her children. “We crossed the jungle of Panama, the three of us, for a better life,” Gabriela said. “We fought for dreams that I have to honor — I can’t give up. I can’t turn back time. I have to honor the memory of my daughter.”

Ever since arriving in the United States just a short time ago, she said: “The three of us were happy. We felt safe in this country. My daughter left happy. We were fulfilling dreams together.”

If she could speak to her beloved girl again, Gabriela knows exactly what she would tell her: “I’d say that I love her, and I’m proud of her for being a good daughter, dedicated to her family. Now, I give her into the arms of God.”

A GoFundMe, “Scarleth Milena Urgiles Samaniego,” was organized by Scarleth’s mother.

“She was an amazing daughter, sister, granddaughter, cousin, niece, and friend. She touched so many lives of people around her,” the page said.

She is survived by her mother, Samaniego, and her brother, Jack Urgiles.

Scarleth, originally from Ecuador, spent her last years of life in East Hampton, the page said. “Her goal was to join the Army; she always thought that her courage and determination would help others. Her dream was to buy a house for her mother and be able to take care of and provide for her mother and brother what they deserved. She tirelessly volunteered, taught, pursued, and creatively made a difference in the world. Her kindness will be missed every day,” the page said.

To donate to the GoFundMe, click here.

According to East Hampton Town police, the crash took place at 7:39 p.m. on Father’s Day, on Old Stone Highway near Deep Six Drive.

Gonzalo Barrionuevo-Fuertes 18, of Moriches, was operating a 2009 Toyota Camry southbound on Old Stone Highway near Deep Six Drive when the vehicle left the roadway, overturned and struck a tree, police said.

The Springs Fire Department responded and extricated two passengers from the vehicle, police said.Scarleth was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. Passenger Jennifer Amon-Barrers 18, of East Hampton was airlifted to Stony Brook University Hospital where she was listed in serious, but stable condition, police said.

Additional passengers Michael Puente 19, Melanie Mendez, 19, Carlos Pinos, 18, and two juveniles, 15 and 17, all of East Hampton, were transported to Stony Brook Southampton Hospital by East Hampton and Amagansett Ambulance for treatment of injuries, police said.

“It is with deep sadness and a heavy heart that I share devastating news about a tragedy that has deeply affected our school and community,” wrote Sara Smith, principal of East Hampton High School, after the tragedy. “One of our beloved students has passed away” as a result of a crash that also involved other East Hampton students who sustained injuries, she said.

She added: “There are no words that can fully express the sorrow we feel for the family, friends, and all those impacted by this heartbreaking loss. During times like these, we are reminded of how strong and united the East Hampton community truly is. We come together to lift each other up, support one another, and provide comfort in the face of unimaginable grief,” she said.

“Together, as one community, we will honor the life that was lost, support those who are healing, and continue to lean on each other in the days and weeks ahead,” Smith said.

East Hampton School Superintendent Adam Fine also reached out to the community: “It is with profound sadness that I share the heartbreaking news that one of our high school students was killed, and several others were injured,” in Sunday’s crash. “There are no words to properly express the feelings of loss and grief that we feel at this time. The East Hampton community is strong and resilient and always comes together when needed.”

In a follow-up message, Smith wrote that members of the district’s mental health team and administrative staff visited each first-period classroom to inform students of the loss “in a sensitive and personal manner. Students were offered immediate access to our building-level mental health professionals, along with counselors from the Family Service League. Many students chose to speak with someone right away, while others may choose to do so in the days and weeks ahead. We want to remind everyone that these support services will continue to be available for as long as needed.”

She added: “In moments like these, the strength and compassion of the East Hampton community truly shine. We are grateful for the way our students, staff, and families have come together during this incredibly difficult time. Please continue to keep the victim’s family in your thoughts and prayers. As we move forward, let us do so with care, kindness, and support for one another.”