Warning: This article contains discussion of the death of a baby and child neglect which some readers may find distressing
A one-year-old boy has died after his mother allegedly left him for over two hours in a hot car while she went to get lip filler.
According to police, 20-year-old Maya Hernandez left her two young sons, one-year-old Amillo Gutierrez, and his two-year-old older brother, strapped into their car seats in her Toyota Corolla for at least two and a half hours.
Tragically, Amillo was found unresponsive and later pronounced dead after being taken to hospital, following the heartbreaking incident which occurred in Bakersfield, California on June 29.
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While the boys were in the car, Hernandez was reportedly inside the Always Beautiful Med Spa, getting the cosmetic treatment done, reports Metro.
According to the publication, a nurse at the spa said that the mother had asked them if her children would be allowed to come with her to the appointment.
The nurse allegedly said that they would have been fine to come in as long as they could sit in the waiting room. However, she says Hernandez didn’t disclose that the boys were in the car when she turned up for her appointment.
The mother-of-two claimed she left them with the air conditioning on at 2pm, but the engine automatically turned off after one hour.
The children were subsequently found at 4:30pm after Bakersfield police responded to a report of an unconscious child.
Upon arrival, the emergency services including ambulance workers provided medical aid but after being transported to a local hospital, Amillo was tragically found to be deceased.
His older brother survived, is in a stable condition and has since been placed in protective custody.
The outside temperature in the Bakersfield area that day reached heights of 101°F (38°C) and the little boy’s body registered at 107°F (41°C).
Hernandez has been charged with involuntary manslaughter and child cruelty and is set to appear in court on Friday (July 11).
In a heartbreaking message on a GoFundMe page set up Amillo’s grandmother, Katie Martinez, the family are asking for help to bring him home.
She wrote: “My grandson Amillio was only here for one year. When his mom left him and his 2-year-old brother alone in her car, 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: “Nobody is ready for something like this to happen. He just started walking on Thursday, and on Sunday, he gained his angel wings. I will never be the same without him.
“We would like to bring him home to Porterville and give him a celebration of life. Amillio Gutierrez, my grandson, I will be with you again in heaven. Until we meet again, you are missed so much. Please help us bring him home to his brother and to our family. Your dad loves you so much; you did not deserve this.”
According to Metro, a vigil was held on Saturday at Zalud Park in Porterville and at the time of writing the fundraiser sits at just over $400.
The publication also reported that Amillo’s father is currently in prison on unrelated charges, and was informed of his son’s death by a jail chaplain.
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Madison Burgess