Maya Hernandez, 20, was convicted of involuntary manslaughter after her 1-year-old son, Amillio Guierrez, died after being left in a parked car in Bakersfield while she received cosmetic injections. Temperatures that day were between 99° and 101°F, and Amillio was taken to the hospital with a body temperature of 107.2°F and later pronounced dead. Prosecutors say Hernandez declined offers to bring the children inside and chose not to contact relatives; the defense says she left the engine running for air conditioning and was unaware of an automatic shutoff on her hybrid. Hernandez faces up to 15 years in prison; sentencing is set for March 5.
California Mother Convicted After 1-Year-Old Dies In Hot Car While She Received Cosmetic Injections
California mom convicted after son dies in hot car while mother got lip fillers: 'Defendant chose her looks'
Maya Hernandez, 20, was convicted of involuntary manslaughter after her 1-year-old son, Amillio Guierrez, died after being left in a vehicle in Bakersfield while Hernandez received cosmetic injections.
Case Details
On June 29, officers responding to a report found two young children unattended in a car for more than two hours. Temperatures in Bakersfield that day ranged from 99 to 101 degrees, which can cause interior vehicle temperatures to rise rapidly to dangerous levels. The younger child, later identified by a GoFundMe organizer as Amillio Guierrez, was pronounced dead after being taken to the hospital; the older child, age 2, survived and was placed in protective custody.
Maya Hernandez was charged with child cruelty and child endangerment counts after leaving her children in a hot car.(Fox News)
Charges and Plea
Prosecutors originally filed murder and child endangerment charges. Hernandez accepted a plea agreement in which an initial murder charge was dropped in exchange for a conviction on involuntary manslaughter in the child endangerment case. She faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison, with sentencing scheduled for March 5.
Prosecution and Defense Arguments
"Putting her vanity, her looks, her desire to feel beautiful above her children was wrong. Not only was it wrong, but it was criminal," prosecutor Stephanie Taconi told jurors.
Prosecutors said Hernandez declined offers from medical spa staff to bring the children inside and did not call relatives for help. They described her actions as a series of conscious choices that resulted in tragedy.
Maya Hernandez holds her two young sons in an undated photo.
The defense argued Hernandez did not act with reckless indifference. They said she left the engine running to keep the air conditioning on, provided snacks and bottles to the children, and gave the older child a phone to watch videos. Defense attorneys also said Hernandez was unaware that her Toyota Corolla Hybrid has a safety feature that automatically shuts off the engine after about an hour.
Medical Response
Witnesses told investigators Hernandez returned to the vehicle and carried Amillio into the spa appearing limp and purple in color. Emergency responders reported the child was pale, unresponsive and had no pulse; his body temperature was recorded at 107.2°F. Despite resuscitation efforts, Amillio was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Maya Hernandez reportedly left her two sons unattended in a hot car last June to undergo cosmetic procedures.
Next Steps
Hernandez was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and faces up to 15 years in prison at sentencing on March 5. The surviving child remains in protective custody.
Note: The case has drawn attention to the dangers of leaving children unattended in vehicles, particularly during extreme heat. Authorities and child safety advocates emphasize that interior car temperatures can become life-threatening within minutes when ambient temperatures are high.
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