A New York bartender is facing serious criminal charges following the death of an 18-year-old restaurant worker who died after consuming alcohol at her place of employment.
According to New York State Police, Maria Cecilia De Jesus-Garcia was served alcoholic beverages on August 4, 2024, while working as a hostess at Adelita’s Mexican Cocina & Tequila in Victor, a suburb in western New York. De Jesus-Garcia was under the legal drinking age at the time.
After finishing her shift, she reportedly took an Uber home. The following morning, she was found unresponsive and was later pronounced dead. Local broadcaster 13 WHAM reported that authorities determined her cause of death to be complications arising from acute ethanol intoxication.
A subsequent police investigation revealed that De Jesus-Garcia had been served alcohol at the restaurant while still a minor. Investigators reviewed surveillance footage from the premises as part of their inquiry, which ultimately led to an arrest several months later.
On December 18, police arrested the restaurant’s bartender, Ariel Ceja, 32. Authorities allege that Ceja served alcohol to De Jesus-Garcia after the restaurant had closed for the day.
Ceja has been charged with criminally negligent homicide, a felony offence, as well as unlawful dealing with a child, which is classified as a misdemeanour under New York law. He was taken into custody without incident.
In a statement, Acting District Attorney Jason MacBride said the case remains under active review. “The District Attorney’s Office is currently reviewing a significant number of pending cases as part of an ongoing transition. This matter is among those under review. At this time, it would be inappropriate to comment further,” he said, adding that prosecutors are committed to proceeding in a manner consistent with the law and the interests of justice.
Ceja is currently being held at the Ontario County Jail and is expected to be arraigned next month.
The case has drawn attention to the responsibilities of employers and staff in hospitality environments, particularly when it comes to underage workers and access to alcohol. While the investigation continues, the death of a young employee has left family members, colleagues, and the local community grappling with the consequences of what authorities describe as a preventable tragedy.
