Bakersfield Police reported that a 20-year-old mother left her car running with the air conditioning on, but a feature in the car likely turned off the AC. Unfortunately, tragedy struck when a baby died after being left in the car with his 2-year-old sibling while the mother was getting lip filler at a Bakersfield medical spa on a scorching 101-degree day.
Authorities criticized Maya Hernandez for prioritizing her appearance over the safety of her children. It was estimated that the children were left in the car without air conditioning for 90 minutes, resulting in extreme temperatures inside the vehicle.
After her medical procedure, Hernandez found her baby in distress, prompting a frantic 911 call. Both children were rushed to the hospital, but tragically, the 1-year-old did not survive. The mother has been charged with involuntary manslaughter and willful cruelty to a child, and she is currently in custody on bail.
The incident unfolded on a hot day in June at a parking lot in Bakersfield, where Hernandez left her children in the car with the engine running and AC on, assuming it would stay on the entire time. However, the car’s automatic feature turned off the engine after an hour, leaving the children without cooling until Hernandez returned.
Hernandez had the option to bring her children into the medical spa but chose to leave them in the car due to concerns about the procedure’s duration. She acknowledged her irresponsibility to the police upon their arrival.
This heartbreaking event serves as a reminder of the dangers of leaving children unattended in hot vehicles.
McNabb wrote that despite the extreme danger of leaving a one-year-old and two-year-old unattended in a vehicle in extreme weather, Hernandez left them in the car upon getting out. The 2-year-old was later admitted to Adventist Health hospital with a 99-degree temperature, but was able to eat and drink fluids after the initial health assessment. The nurse at the hospital informed the police that older children, like the 2-year-old, can better regulate their body temperature compared to babies with underdeveloped sweat glands, as per the police report. Last March, Hernandez was reported to Child Protective Services for alleged emotional abuse towards one of her children, but the report was ultimately dismissed by the police. For more news, features, and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond, subscribe to Essential California to receive updates six days a week. This article was originally published in the Los Angeles Times.
