California Mother Found Guilty of Child’s Death

A 20-year-old mother from California was found guilty on Wednesday for the death of her 1-year-old son, after she left him in a hot car while she received cosmetic injections. This incident occurred last June, and she accepted a plea deal, which reduced her charge from first-degree murder to manslaughter.

Maya Hernandez was arrested on June 29 by police in Bakersfield after they discovered her two children unattended in a vehicle for over two hours. Authorities reported that she had gone for cosmetic surgery at a nearby medical spa.

Sadly, the youngest child was pronounced dead after being found in the car, while the 2-year-old was safely retrieved and reported as stable.

Reports indicate that temperatures that day reached between 99 and 101 degrees, leading to dangerously high conditions inside the vehicle.

The deceased child’s name was Amilio Guierrez, as revealed by a GoFundMe page set up by the child’s aunt. It was noted that the child’s father was imprisoned at the time, leaving the surviving child without a parent following this tragedy.

Initially, Hernandez faced charges that included second-degree murder, manslaughter, child abuse, and child endangerment. During the trial in December, prosecutor Stephanie Taconi stated that Hernandez prioritized her appearance over her children’s safety. “I was wrong to put my vanity, my appearance, my desire to be beautiful above my children,” Taconi remarked, emphasizing the severity of the crime.

The defense argued that Hernandez’s actions were not intended to cause harm. They pointed out that she had left the car’s engine running to keep the air conditioning on, though it was reported that she was not aware of a safety feature meant to turn off the engine after an hour. They also mentioned that she had provided snacks for the children to keep them occupied.

Prosecutors countered this view, asserting that Hernandez made a series of conscious decisions that ultimately led to the tragedy. They mentioned that even after being informed that children could accompany her inside the spa, she chose not to stay overnight and declined assistance from family to avoid conflict.

The prosecution highlighted, “Hernandez chose to leave her children in the car. She chose to take a break. She chose time to socialize with other adults,” and ultimately, “that choice cost Amilio his life.”

After her cosmetic procedure, Hernandez reportedly returned to find Amilio in distress. Witnesses noted that the child appeared “limping” and “purple,” and she rushed him to the medical spa for help. However, despite intensive medical intervention, Amilio was declared dead after being found with no pulse and a high fever of 107.2 degrees Fahrenheit.

Hernandez is set to face a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison, with sentencing scheduled for March 5.