Anaheim mother arrested after toddler dies in overheated car – NBC Los Angeles

The mother of the 3-year-old girl who died after being found unconscious in a hot car in Anaheim has been arrested in connection with the toddler's death, police said Monday.

Sandra Hernandez, 41, faces charges including manslaughter and child neglect in connection with the death of her 3-year-old daughter. The two were found unconscious in a Ford Expedition parked in the 1300 block of Fashion Lane on Friday afternoon. They were locked in the vehicle on a day when it was 100 degrees outside.

A family member pulled the child from the vehicle and administered first aid before emergency responders arrived. The girl and her mother were then taken to a nearby hospital, according to Anaheim police.

The young girl, whose name was not released, died shortly after arriving at the hospital. The preliminary cause of death is suspected to be complications from heat stroke.

Hernandez was treated at the medical facility and then taken to the Anaheim Police Department detention center. Authorities said empty alcohol containers were found in the vehicle.

A woman who identified herself as Hernandez's great aunt 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 at school at the time.

The woman said the relatives understood that Hernandez was going to pick up the older child from school and that they did not know that she and the toddler never left the car.

“It is so heavy in my heart that our three-year-old little girl died from the heat,” said the great aunt. The cause of the girl's death is still being investigated by the authorities.

Anaheim police say they do not believe the incident was an attempted murder or suicide.

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact Anaheim Police at 714-765-1900 or Orange County Crime Stoppers at 855-TIP-OCCS.