A one-year-old boy died after being left in a hot car for more than two hours whilst his mother underwent cosmetic treatment at a California medical spa. The child’s body temperature reached 107 degrees Fahrenheit when he was found convulsing and foaming at the mouth on 29 June.
Maya Hernandez, 20, has been charged with involuntary manslaughter and child cruelty after allegedly leaving her sons, one-year-old Amillio Gutierrez and his two-year-old brother, strapped in their car seats outside Always Beautiful Med Spa in Bakersfield. The temperature outside reached 101°F (38°C) that afternoon.
Court documents reveal Hernandez entered the spa at approximately 2pm for a lip filler injection, claiming she left the air conditioning running in her 2022 Toyota Corolla hybrid. However, investigators discovered the vehicle’s automatic shut-off feature turns the engine off after one hour to prevent fuel waste.
Discovery and Emergency Response
Emergency services were called to the scene at approximately 4:45pm after Hernandez returned to find Amillio in severe distress. Police reports state the child was “red” and experiencing seizures when his mother discovered him.
“Based on the totality of the evidence at this time it is clear that Maya Hernandez’s actions caused the death of Amillio Gutierrez,” an investigator wrote in court documents. First responders found emergency medical technicians already working on the unresponsive child whilst Hernandez held her two-year-old son, who appeared lethargic with “soaking wet” hair.
Hospital staff at Adventist Health worked for 40 minutes attempting to resuscitate Amillio, who arrived with no pulse or other signs of life. His internal body temperature registered 107°F (41.7°C), far exceeding the normal 99°F (37°C).
Prior Communication Reveals Missed Opportunity
Text messages obtained by investigators show Hernandez had contacted the spa that morning asking if she could bring her children to the appointment. The spa employee who performed the lip injection responded: “Sure if you don’t mind them waiting in the waiting room Hun.”
Hernandez never replied to this message and failed to inform staff upon arrival that her children were in the vehicle. When questioned by police, Hernandez acknowledged she’d been told she could bring her kids inside,” according to court documents.
Family Devastated by Loss
The child’s grandmother, Katie Martinez, expressed her anguish at a vigil held at Zalud Park in Porterville on Saturday. “I never thought anything like this could happen, and I’m 45 years old,” Martinez said. “They were strapped in their car seats. They couldn’t even get up to save themselves.”
Martinez established a GoFundMe page where she wrote: “He just started walking on Thursday, and on Sunday he gained his angel wings. I will never be the same without him.”
“Amillio was so special; he always had a smile no matter what. He is loved by so many, our lives will not be the same. His brother will forever be without his best friend,” she added.
Father Learns of Death in Prison
Adding to the family’s tragedy, Amillio’s father received news of his son’s death whilst incarcerated on unrelated charges. Martinez revealed: “He had a chaplain pull him out of his cell to tell him they had been notified his son, Amillio, had passed away in a car.”
The fundraiser to bring Amillio’s body home has raised $229 as the family prepares for funeral arrangements.
Understanding the Science of Hot Car Deaths
Medical experts explain that children’s bodies heat up three to five times faster than adults’, making them particularly vulnerable to vehicular heatstroke. Hospital staff noted that whilst children aged two and older can regulate their body temperature through sweating, infants lack this crucial ability.
“Children 2 and older are able to sweat to cool themselves, something children 1 and younger typically can’t do,” medical personnel told investigators. The two-year-old brother survived with a body temperature of 99 degrees and normal vital signs.
According to data from Kids and Car Safety, 1,126 children have died in hot cars in the United States since 1990, with at least 7,500 others surviving with varying degrees of injury. In 2024 alone, 40 children died in similar circumstances.
Rapid Temperature Rise Proves Fatal
Research demonstrates that vehicle interiors become dangerously hot within minutes, even on relatively mild days. When outside temperatures reach 95°F (35°C), the interior can climb to 114.8°F (46°C) within just 10 minutes and 129°F (54°C) after half an hour.
Consumer Reports testing found that even when outside temperatures were a mild 61°F, the interior of a closed car exceeded 105°F within one hour. The danger threshold for heatstroke in children begins when core body temperature reaches approximately 104°F, with death likely occurring at 107°F or above.
Legal Proceedings and Previous Concerns
Hernandez pleaded not guilty to charges of involuntary manslaughter and two counts of child cruelty during her arraignment. She is being held on more than $1 million bail and is scheduled to appear in court on Friday, 11 July, for a pre-preliminary hearing.
Court documents indicate Hernandez had a previous encounter with Child Protective Services in March 2024 for emotional abuse, though the allegation was deemed unfounded. If convicted, she faces up to four years in prison.
Nationwide Crisis Demands Action
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports an average of 37 children die annually from vehicular heatstroke in the United States. Fifty-two per cent of these deaths occur when a parent or caregiver unknowingly leaves a child in the vehicle.
“With the way the world is now, we need awareness of a lot of things, because what happened to him shouldn’t happen to any other kid,” Martinez said at the vigil, where attendees wore purple ribbons symbolising child safety.
Isaac Tamez, a relative, urged the community to learn from the tragedy: “It’s for everyone to open their eyes and realise, don’t leave your kids in the car, because this can happen to them.
Experts emphasise that these tragedies can happen to anyone but are always preventable. They recommend placing personal items in the back seat as reminders, asking childcare providers to call if children don’t arrive as expected, and teaching children that vehicles are not play areas.
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