Teens plead not guilty in death of girls

FOREST GROVE, Ore. (KOIN) - Two 18-year-olds pleaded not guilty Wednesday to a hit-and-run crash that killed two young girls who were playing in front of their house on Oct. 20.

Cinthya Cisneros and Mario Echeverria were in the Washington County Courthouse to face the charges in the deaths of Abby Robinson, 11, and her 6-year-old sister Anna Dieter-Eckerdt.

Cisneros is accused of being the driver who ran over the girls as they played in a pile of leaves that night. Echeverria, her boyfriend, was a passenger in the car.

She said she had intentionally run over a pile of leaves and said there was a loud bump, police said. Court documents show they then went to her home -- just around the block from where the girls were hit -- and inspected the car. Her brother, who was another passenger in the car, went back to the scene, documents said. He then told his sister she had run over a child.

During the investigation, police said Echeverria admitted to taking Cisneros' car to a car wash in Hillsboro to remove the evidence. He claimed he wanted to protect his girlfriend.

The families of Cisneros and Echeverria declined to comment to KOIN 6 News.

The neighbors in the area are heartbroken over the deaths. One neighbor said, "It's just the saddest thing ever."

Cisneros has been placed on an immigration hold as the investigation continues. She could face deportation as a result of the charges. She's charged with two counts of Failure to Perform Duties of a Driver to Injured Person(s).

Echeverria, of Cornelius, is charged with Tampering with Evidence and Hindering Prosecution.

Both the suspects are due in court later this month.