Kathy Hall is engaged in a years-long battle to prevent the parole of Sergio Rodriguez, an undocumented migrant convicted in the 2016 hit-and-run death of her 18-year-old daughter, Hailey King. According to Hall, Rodriguez, who was sentenced to 17 years in prison in 2018, became eligible for parole after serving only a fraction of his sentence and is subject to hearings every two years.
Rodriguez pleaded guilty to manslaughter, battery, and leaving the scene of a crash in connection with King's death. He was speeding at 36 mph over the limit when he struck King and her friend, Osmin "David" Gutierrez, who were riding a scooter in Fayetteville, Arkansas, on November 7, 2016. King sustained catastrophic injuries and died shortly after the collision. Gutierrez, who lost both legs in the crash, died two years later from a blood clot related to his injuries.
Hall has criticized the handling of Rodriguez's case, stating he disappeared for three days before his arrest and was released on bond less than an hour after being taken into custody. She claimed authorities opted not to notify U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to ensure Rodriguez would remain in the state to face prosecution, a decision that she felt forced her family to choose between criminal accountability and his deportation.
King's death left her then-two-year-old daughter, Brooklyn, without a mother. Hall stated that the recurring parole hearings have hindered her family's ability to move forward from the tragedy. She has vowed to continue opposing Rodriguez's release to honor a promise made to her daughter at her bedside.