Amillio Gutierrez dies in fatal Porterville hot car

Amillio Gutierrez dies in fatal Porterville hot car
Fatal Porterville hot car death of Amillio Gutierrez

Law enforcement officials have confirmed the death of 1-year-old Amillio Gutierrez, whose life was tragically cut short after being mistakenly left inside a parked vehicle on a hot day. The incident occurred in Porterville, California, where temperatures reached 75 degrees Fahrenheit, amplifying the dangers of being confined in a car without proper ventilation.

According to available reports, the child’s mother, Maya Hernandez, had taken her two young sons—1-year-old Amillio Gutierrez and his older brother, who is 2 years old—to a medical spa in Bakersfield for a cosmetic procedure. However, authorities state that Hernandez neglected her parental responsibilities and left the boys secured in their car seats outside the facility on June 29. The older son managed to survive the ordeal, but Amillio was rushed to a hospital where doctors noted his body temperature had dangerously risen to 107 degrees. Unfortunately, he did not respond to treatment and passed away.

The boys’ grandmother, Katie Martinez, expressed profound grief over the loss and the circumstances surrounding it. Martinez emphasized that the children were unable to free themselves from their restraints and highlighted the mother’s alleged negligence. “They were securely fastened in their car seats. They couldn’t even move to protect themselves,” Martinez shared. “She locked them in and left the doors shut.” To underscore the severity of the situation, Martinez recounted her own experiments in understanding how quickly temperatures rise in a parked car with the engine off, stating, “If someone took just 20 minutes to sit in their car with the windows up and feel the heat, they might grasp what those boys endured.”

Investigations revealed that Hernandez claimed the vehicle’s engine was running with the air conditioning on. However, evidence showed that the car was warm when police arrived, and it was later discovered that the engine had an automatic shut-off feature that activates after one hour. Based on this, authorities estimate that the children were exposed to the extreme heat without air conditioning for at least 90 minutes. A staff member at the spa mentioned that Hernandez had inquired beforehand if it was permissible to bring her children to the appointment. Despite this, she failed to disclose that they were present when she checked in, and the procedure reportedly lasted only 15 to 20 minutes.

Martinez described Hernandez as a wholly loving mother and expressed shock at the incident. “She wasn’t like this. She was a truly caring parent,” Martinez said. “Those boys adored her, and they depended on her.” Hernandez has since been formally arraigned on charges including involuntary manslaughter and child endangerment. Currently, she is being held on a bail amount exceeding $1 million and is set to appear in court for a preliminary hearing on Friday.

The boys’ father, who is Martinez’s son and is serving time in prison for unrelated crimes, was informed of the tragedy by a jail chaplain shortly after Amillio’s death. In response to the heartbreaking loss, a memorial vigil was organized at a nearby park, drawing a crowd to honor the young boy’s memory.

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