Introduction to the Incident
A California mom charged in the death of her toddler was getting lip filler injections when she allegedly left the child in her car amid temperatures that topped 100 degrees, court records obtained Wednesday show.
Charges and Arrest
Maya Hernandez was charged with involuntary manslaughter and two counts of willful cruelty to a child in the June 29 death of the 1-year-old boy and the hospitalization of a 2-year-old who survived. Hernandez, 20, has pleaded not guilty, NBC affiliate KGET of Bakersfield reported. She is being held in lieu of $1 million bail.
Court Records and Testimony
Court records did not list a lawyer who could speak on her behalf. According to a report from the Bakersfield Police Department, Hernandez “admitted that it was irresponsible to leave her kids in the car, and she thought about it when she got out of the car but had no justification as to why she left them." The children were left in their car for more than two hours while Hernandez got the cosmetic procedure at a spa in Bakersfield, roughly 110 miles north of Los Angeles, the report says.
Details of the Incident
The outside temperature reached 101 degrees while she was at the appointment, according to the report, which notes that such heat can raise a vehicle’s internal temperature to 143 degrees. Hernandez told officers that she left her 2022 Toyota Corolla running with the air conditioning set to 60 degrees, according to the report. She said she gave her kids candy, crackers, milk and a cell phone to watch. She’d asked the nurse who was performing the procedure if she could bring her children in, according to the report, and was told she could leave them in the waiting room.
Investigation Findings
She did not bring the children inside and told police that she was "concerned about the time," the report states. Hernandez said she was certain the vehicle would stay on because she had previously stayed in the car for extended periods, the report states. But authorities learned from a local Toyota shop that the car automatically shuts off after an hour of inactivity. Hernandez told officers that she did not check on her children between 2 and 4:30 p.m. while she was inside, the report states.
Medical Response and Outcome
She told officers that when she returned to the car, one of the children was foaming at the mouth and shaking, according to the report. She performed mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and called 911, the report states. When the child arrived at a local emergency room, the boy had an internal temperature of 107 degrees and no signs of life, according to the report. He was pronounced dead shortly before 6 p.m. The older boy had a temperature of 99 degrees and was able to eat food and drink liquids, the report states.
Aftermath and Current Status
A nurse at the hospital told police that children older than 2 can better regulate their body temperature because they can sweat. The boy was listed in stable condition and placed in protective custody, the Bakersfield Police Department said in a news release.
Conclusion
The incident highlights the dangers of leaving children unattended in vehicles, especially during extreme weather conditions. It also raises questions about the responsibility of parents and the importance of prioritizing children’s safety above personal interests.
FAQs
Q: What were the charges brought against Maya Hernandez?
A: Maya Hernandez was charged with involuntary manslaughter and two counts of willful cruelty to a child.
Q: How long were the children left in the car?
A: The children were left in the car for more than two hours.
Q: What was the outside temperature during the incident?
A: The outside temperature reached 101 degrees.
Q: What was the condition of the surviving child?
A: The older boy had a temperature of 99 degrees and was able to eat food and drink liquids, and was listed in stable condition.
Q: What happened to the surviving child after the incident?
A: The boy was placed in protective custody.
