Amaya “Cookie” Diaz, 19, has been released from jail while awaiting trial in the fatal stabbing of Caroline “Caro” Peña, a 32-year-old mother of five whose death shocked the community of Del Rio, Texas. According to reports published in early October 2026, Diaz was released after her family reportedly paid $200,000 through a bonding arrangement connected to her $2 million bond. The decision has renewed public attention surrounding the case, particularly because the teenager remains accused of a serious violent crime. Her release does not mean the charges have been dismissed, and she must still face the legal proceedings ahead.

The case dates back to June 25, 2026, when Peña became involved in a confrontation outside a residence in Del Rio. Investigators allege that surveillance footage captured key moments leading up to the attack, including Diaz approaching Peña with an object believed to be a knife and stabbing her. Her older sister, Kitty Mia Diaz, 21, and their friend Kyandra Renee Faz, 21, are accused of participating in the ᴀssault. Peña was taken to a local hospital by her nephew and later received treatment in San Antonio, where she died from her injuries several hours after the confrontation. Authorities arrested all three women on the day of the incident.

The defendants now face different circumstances as the prosecution moves forward. Cookie has been released under bond conditions, while Kitty remains in custody and Faz continues to be held on a reported $5.2 million bond. Faz has pleaded not guilty, while published reports indicated that neither Diaz sister had entered a plea at the time of the latest updates. Cookie’s arraignment is scheduled for November 4, 2026, and Faz has a pretrial hearing set for December 11. The court proceedings will determine how the charges progress and what evidence prosecutors ultimately present against each defendant.

Despite the arrests and the allegations described by investigators, an important question remains unanswered: what caused the confrontation to become fatal? Authorities have not publicly established a definitive motive, leaving the circumstances surrounding Peña’s final hours a continuing focus of attention. The case has also attracted online scrutiny following the circulation of footage showing the Diaz sisters during their arrests, although their expressions in such footage cannot establish guilt. As the proceedings approach, the focus will remain on the evidence, the legal arguments and the family’s search for answers after losing a mother of five.