The mother of the 3-year-old girl who died after she was found unconscious in a hot car in Anaheim has been arrested in connection with the toddler's death, police announced Monday.
Sandra Hernandez, 41, faces charges that include involuntary manslaughter and felony child neglect in connection with the death of her 3-year-old daughter. The two were found Friday afternoon unresponsive in a Ford Expedition that was parked on the 1300 block of Fashion Lane. They were locked in the vehicle on a day when it was 104 degrees outside.
A family member pulled the child out of the vehicle and gave her emergency aid before first responders arrived. The girl and her mother were then taken to a nearby hospital, according to the Anaheim Police Department.
The young girl, whose name was not released, died shortly after arriving at the hospital. The preliminary cause of her death has been suspected to be complications from heat stroke.
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Hernandez was treated at the medical facility and then booked into the Anaheim Police Department Detention Facility. Authorities said empty alcohol containers were found inside the vehicle.
A woman who identified herself as the great-aunt of Hernandez told NBC4 that the mother locked herself and her daughter in a car. According to the great-aunt, Hernandez also has a 5-year-old child and that child was in school at the time.
The woman said relatives understood that Hernandez was going to pick up the older child from school, and that they were unaware she and the toddler never left the vehicle.
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"My heart is so heavy knowing that our little girl of 3 years of age died of the heat," the great-aunt said. The girl’s cause of death is still being determined by authorities.
Anaheim police said they do not believe the incident was a murder-suicide attempt.
The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information on the case is encouraged to contact the Anaheim Police Department at 714-765-1900 or Orange County Crime Stoppers at 855-TIP-OCCS.
