One-year-old dies After Mom Leaves Him In Hot Car For Lip Filler Appointment

 

Tragedy struck in Bakersfield, California, when a one-year-old boy, Amillio Gutierrez, died after being left in a sweltering car while his mother reportedly went for a cosmetic procedure.

According to law enforcement, 20-year-old Maya Hernandez left Amillio and his two-year-old brother strapped into their car seats inside a Toyota Corolla Hybrid on June 29. Hernandez is said to have entered the Always Beautiful Med Spa to undergo a lip filler treatment, leaving the children unattended in the vehicle.

Authorities believe the children were left in the car for at least 90 minutes on a hot afternoon. When Hernandez returned around 4:30 p.m., she found Amillio unresponsive, convulsing, and foaming at the mouth. Emergency responders transported him to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead before 6 p.m. His body temperature had soared to a fatal 107°F (41.7°C).

Amillio’s older brother, aged two, survived the ordeal.

Hernandez reportedly told investigators that she had left the air conditioning running. However, the vehicle model in question is equipped with an automatic engine shutoff feature designed to prevent idling beyond one hour. When officers arrived at the scene, the car was warm inside, suggesting the AC had stopped working well before she returned.

Police also spoke with a nurse at the spa, who stated that Hernandez had asked if she could bring her children inside but never disclosed that they had been left in the car. The cosmetic procedure itself reportedly lasted just 15 to 20 minutes, but investigators say Hernandez remained away from the vehicle far longer.

The devastating loss has left Amillio’s family reeling with grief. His grandmother, Katie Martinez, shared her heartbreak in a GoFundMe appeal to cover funeral costs, writing:

“He always had a smile no matter what. His brother will forever be without his best friend.”

Amillio had only recently begun walking days before his untimely death.

Authorities have charged Maya Hernandez with involuntary manslaughter and felony child cruelty. She is currently being held on bail exceeding $1 million and is scheduled to appear in court on Friday, July 11.

A candlelight vigil was held in Amillio’s memory on Saturday, July 5, as friends, family, and community members gathered to mourn the loss of a life cut tragically short.