Mother faces consequences after toddler dies in 116-degree car while she received lip injections

Mother Accepts Plea Deal After Leaving Child in Hot Car

A young mother, Maya Hernandez, has reached an agreement with prosecutors after a tragic incident in which her 1-year-old son died in a hot car. She was initially charged with first-degree murder but will now face a lesser sentence of manslaughter, which could mean up to 15 years in prison.

The 20-year-old mother left her two children in a car exposed to 116-degree Fahrenheit heat for over two hours while she received cosmetic injections in Bakersfield, California, on June 29. It was reported that the actual procedure took only about 20 minutes, yet she continued chatting about her Fourth of July plans for an additional two hours while her children waited in her Toyota Corolla.

Prosecutors previously claimed that her decision to prioritize cosmetic appearance over her kids reflected a concerning lack of responsibility. When she finally returned to the vehicle, Hernandez noticed something alarming: her son, Amilio Gutierrez, appeared limp and looked purple, while her 2-year-old son, Mateo, seemed to be in distress.

Amilio was rushed to the emergency room, suffering from a severe fever of 107.2 degrees Fahrenheit and showing signs of distress. Tragically, he was later pronounced dead. Mateo, although his temperature had reached 99°F, was fortunate to survive.

The path to this plea deal was complicated. Hernandez faced a mistrial last year on counts of first-degree murder and manslaughter, with the jury ultimately unable to reach a unanimous decision. Kern County Chief Deputy Prosecutor Eric Smith shared insights from the trials, indicating a reevaluation of the prosecution’s approach after the mistrial. The decision to pursue a plea deal was made considering the jury’s struggle to convict.

During the proceedings, Hernandez did plead no contest to charges of manslaughter and child abuse, along with two enhancements. Following the plea deal, her sister voiced concern over the initial murder charge, insisting there was no intent to harm. She acknowledged that although Hernandez made a careless choice, she did not intend for this outcome.

Hernandez’s defense emphasized the absence of malicious intent, noting that she had left the air conditioning running and provided snacks. However, it was reported that she turned off the car after an hour.