A tragic turn of events during a routine beauty appointment has led to serious charges for young California mother, Maya Hernandez. What unfolded on a scorching summer afternoon has left one child dead, another hospitalized, and a community in shock. Now, disturbing new details from police reports are shedding light on the heartbreaking timeline that led up to the incident.
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Heat + Locked In: A Deadly Combination
According to reports, 20-year-old Maya Hernandez has been charged with involuntary manslaughter and two counts of willful cruelty to a child after her 1-year-old son died and her 2-year-old son was hospitalized on June 29. What exactly happened? She allegedly left both kids inside a car while she got lip fillers at a spa in Bakersfield, while the heat reached new heights of over 100+ degrees.
Police say Hernandez allegedly asked the nurse at the med spa if she could bring the kids inside, but was told to leave them in the waiting room. However, she reportedly did not bring the children inside because she was “concerned about the time.” Instead, she claims to have given her kids candy, crackers, milk, and a cellphone to watch TV in the car.
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AC On… But For How Long?
Hernandez told police she left the AC running and set it to 60 degrees. She also claims she was confident the car would stay on since it had in the past. But, here’s the kicker—experts confirmed the car automatically shuts off after an hour of inactivity. And, she reportedly didn’t check on her children at all between 2 and 4:30 p.m.
When she finally returned to her 2022 Toyota Corolla, one of the boys appeared “to have a seizure due to him foaming at the mouth and shaking,” says reports. Furthermore, Hernandez performed mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and called 911.
What Happened Next With Maya Hernandez?
An ambulance rushed both kids to the hospital, but when they got there, the 1-year-old wasn’t breathing and had no pulse. Reportedly, his lips and the soles of his feet were blue, and his internal body temperature hit a staggering 107.2 degrees. Doctors tried to save him, but sadly, he was pronounced dead about an hour later, around 6 p.m.
She ultimately admitted to police that it was “irresponsible,” to leave them in the car, but gave no reason for doing so. The older child survived and is now in protective custody. Meanwhile, Hernandez is being held on $1 million bail and has pleaded not guilty. And, the boys’ father is currently in prison due to an unrelated issue.
KMPH spoke with Katie Martinez, the mother of Hernandez’s child’s father, who opened up about the heartbreaking loss:
“She was a really good mom, she really was,” Martinez revealed. “I never [saw] her raise her voice or get impatient with them or anything but love them.”
