A supervising investigator in the county Public Defender's Office, who's accused of hiding her son's girlfriend in Mexico after he assaulted the younger woman, pleaded not guilty today to conspiracy and witness-tampering charges.
Karen Cabrera, 58, who is free on $50,000 bail, was ordered by Judge David Szumowski to return to court June 22 for a readiness conference. He also set a June 29 preliminary hearing date.
Cabrera's son and Jenifer Wren, his girlfriend of 10 years, were involved in a domestic violence incident last May 29.
Alejandro "Alex" Cabrera burned Wren with a hair iron, punched her in the nose and kicked her in the head and stomach, resulting in a four-day hospitalization, according to an arrest warrant.
He was subsequently charged with two felony counts and allegations that he caused great bodily injury to Wren.
Last Aug. 5, Wren failed to show up for Cabrera's preliminary hearing and a judge issued a $100,000 bench warrant for her arrest, according to the court document.
Investigators, with the help of Wren's father, figured out that she was in Acapulco.
Further investigation revealed that last Sept. 7, Wren and Karen Cabrera flew to Acapulco together, and that the older woman returned to San Diego alone a week later, according to the arrest warrant.
Receipts indicated Karen Cabrera paid for the airline tickets, according to the document.
Last Oct. 28, her son pleaded guilty to the charges against him.
A week later, Wren appeared in San Diego Superior Court to surrender on her outstanding arrest warrant.
