An Ohio girl, just two years old, tragically suffocated in what officials are calling a “freak accident.” This occurred when the power seat in her parents’ Hyundai SUV suddenly collapsed, leading to her death.
Lucia Ayala passed away from mechanical asphyxiation on March 7th while in a 2026 Hyundai Palisade parked in Akron, where her mother and siblings were present. Heartbreaking body camera footage showed first responders attempting to help but ultimately unable to save her.
In response to this tragic event, Hyundai swiftly decided to halt sales of the 2026 Palisades Limited and Calligraphy models, and it is recalling around 70,000 SUVs affected by the incident.
According to Akron Police Lt. Michael Murphy, the accident unfolded while Ayala’s father was shopping and the children were left to play in the vehicle. “I don’t know how it happened, but the button that released the seat went down, and the child was trapped,” he explained.
Footage shows the chaos as paramedics worked on Lucia, with her father expressing his frustration to the officers. “I’m trying to put it up now,” he said. “It’s not working. I don’t know if I pulled it up too hard.”
“This was one of those really freak accidents where a button was pushed and it fell off and essentially crushed the child,” Lt. Murphy remarked.
Sadly, Lucia succumbed to her injuries at a local hospital, as confirmed by the Summit County Coroner’s Office.
The lead investigator, Gary Guenther, indicated that the medical examiner concluded the cause of death was asphyxiation due to an external force, and classified it as an accident.
Described by her family, Lucia was a lively child whose vibrant personality lit up every room. Her obituary noted her ability to switch from wild antics to sweetness in an instant, mentioning how she was always on the move with her cheerful smile.
Following the incident, Hyundai announced it would stop selling the 2026 Palisades Limited and Calligraphy models in the U.S. and Canada due to issues with the power seats in the second and third rows.
The company stated that, in certain situations, the seats might not effectively detect contact with passengers or objects as intended.
Hyundai acknowledged the devastating incident, saying it doesn’t yet have all the details but extends its sincere condolences to Lucia’s family.
They also mentioned plans to provide rental vehicles for affected customers during the recall of about 70,000 SUVs.
The Post has sought comment from Hyundai.
