Court grants custody of Maya Millete’s children to her sister
CHULA VISTA, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) — The sister of missing Chula Vista mother, May “Maya” Millete, won guardianship over the three children she shared with her husband, who is currently behind bars awaiting trial for homicide charges in connection to her disappearance.
A probate judge ruled on Monday that Maya’s children, who she shared with her husband Larry Millete, be released from the custody of their paternal grandparents and taken into the care of her sister, Maricris Drouaillet.
Drouaillet has been fighting to get legal guardianship over the children — now ages 14, 13 and 8 — since Maya went missing from the Chula Vista home she shared with Millete in January 2021. The kids had been living at the same home with Millete’s parents since her disappearance.
Timeline: The disappearance of Chula Vista mom Maya Millete
The proceedings entered trial last week with each side presenting their case as to why they should be responsible to look after the kids. The court ultimately sided with Drouaillet.
In a statement to FOX 5/KUSI, Drouaillet said Tuesday, “Our maternal family is deeply grateful for the outcome of the guardianship trial, though it’s heartbreaking that we had to turn to the court to resolve our family differences. It’s also difficult to see my nieces and nephew face yet another transition in their lives. We trusted the court to determine who would be the best guardians for the children.”
The guardianship dispute marks the first to be resolved in connection to the then-39 year-old’s disappearance from her Chula Vista home in January 2021. After a nine-month investigation, she was presumed dead by authorities. Her body has not been found in the years since.
Millete, 42, is set to stand trial in September 2025, nearly four years since his arrest in October 2021 on murder charges. He pleaded not guilty to all counts and was deemed eligible to stand trial after a 10-day preliminary hearing in January 2023.
The case, which has been drawn out by multiple months-long delays, has been ongoing alongside probate proceedings to work through the settling of Maya’s estate.
After it begins, prosecutors say testimony in Millete’s criminal trial could take upwards of four to six weeks. Should he be convicted, the 42-year-old could face a lifetime prison sentence.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News.