Porterville, California Woman Maya Hernandez Arrested in Bakersfield for Leaving Children in Hot Car, Resulting in Son’s Death
PORTERVILLE, CALIFORNIA — Maya Hernandez, a 20-year-old resident of Porterville, was arrested in Bakersfield in connection with the death of her 1-year-old son, Amillio Gutierrez, who died after being left in a hot car for several hours while Hernandez attended a cosmetic procedure.
According to the Bakersfield Police Department, Hernandez was taken into custody on Tuesday following an investigation into the June 29 incident outside a local med spa. Authorities say she left her two sons — Amillio and his 2-year-old brother — strapped into their car seats with the vehicle reportedly running and air conditioning on. Investigators later determined the car’s automatic shut-off feature disabled the engine after one hour, leaving the children in sweltering heat for an estimated 90 minutes.
Amillio was pronounced dead after being hospitalized with a body temperature of 107 degrees. His 2-year-old brother survived.
Hernandez was transported to the Kern County Jail and is currently facing charges of involuntary manslaughter and child cruelty. She is being held on over $1 million bail and is scheduled to appear in court Friday for a pre-preliminary hearing.
