Bakersfield Mom was Getting Lip-Fillers At Spa While 1-Year-Old Died in Hot Car
Maya Hernandez, 20, is accused of leaving her two children, ages one and two, strapped inside car seats inside her vehicle as she visited the Always Beautiful Med Spa in Bakersfield on June 29, for a lip injection procedure.
At around 4:30 p.m., Hernandez allegedly returned to her car, a 2022 Toyota Corolla hybrid, and discovered 1-year-old Amillio Gutierrez in distress and foaming at the mouth. A customer took the 2-year-old into a restroom and poured water on his face, while first responders arrived.
Hernandez Told Police She Left the AC On but Car Had an Auto Shut-Off Feature
Although the 2-year-old survived the incident, Amillio was pronounced dead after failed resuscitation attempts, with a body temperature of 107 degrees. Hernandez told police that she left children inside the vehicle with the air conditioner on.
A nurse at the spa said Hernandez in advance if she could bring her children to the procedure but did not mention having them with her when she arrived for her appointment.
A bystander who grabbed the 2-year-old from the car said that the air conditioning was not turned on. Investigators also found the vehicle was warm when they arrived and later learned it had an automatic shut-off feature that turns the engine off after an hour.
Procedure Typically Takes 15-20 Minutes but Hernandez Left the Kids Unattended for Nearly 2 Hours
The lip procedure typically takes around 15 to 20 minutes, but police said Hernandez left the children in the car for nearly two hours, since the day in question at the spa had been unusually busy. Police said Hernandez failed to check on the children the entire time.
On July 7, Hernandez pleaded not guilty to manslaughter and not guilty to two counts of willful cruelty to a child. She remains behind bars at the Kern County jail on a $1 million bond. She's due back in court on July 11.
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