A heartbreaking situation unfolded in California where a mother has been arrested following the tragic death of her three-year-old daughter.
The child, Ily Ruiz, was found inside a hot car with temperatures exceeding 100 degrees.
Discovery and Arrest
Sandra Hernandez, 41, was with her daughter in a locked Ford Expedition parked on the 1300 block of North Fashion Lane in Anaheim.
A family member discovered them in the car on Friday afternoon.
Despite efforts to save her, including removing her from the vehicle, the child was pronounced dead after being rushed to the hospital.
Legal Consequences and Findings
Hernandez now faces charges of involuntary manslaughter and felony child neglect.
Authorities also found several bottles of alcohol inside the vehicle, according to ABC 7 News.
The official cause of death is pending an autopsy, but preliminary reports indicate complications from heat stroke, with temperatures reaching a sweltering 104 degrees that day.
Hernandez was hospitalized and later taken into custody after being medically cleared.
Heartbroken Family
Juan Ruiz, Ily’s father, is devastated by the loss of his only daughter.
Ruiz had previously suffered the tragic loss of two young sons in a car accident caused by a drunk driver while the family was camping in North Dakota.
The current status of his relationship with Hernandez is unclear.
Juan’s cousin, Nancy Salamarca, expressed profound sadness, noting, “Ily was his princess, his daughter.
He loves his kids. That’s what he lives for.
To know that he’s reliving this all over again, we’re just hurting for him. He’s broken. He’s just devastated.”
Family Support and Fundraising
Salamarca and her husband, Waleed Salimi, are rallying support for Juan and his surviving son, Lazarus.
Salamarca has set up a GoFundMe to cover funeral costs and help Juan relocate from Texas to California to care for his son and find new employment.
In her heartfelt message on the GoFundMe page, Salamarca wrote, “It is with utmost heartbreak and sadness that we relay the passing of our cousin Juan’s precious little girl, Ily Elizabeth Ruiz.
Ily was such a beautiful and innocent soul with a very loving and bubbly personality.
It’s still hard to wrap our minds around the thought Ily is no longer with us.”
Another Tragic Incident
On Sunday, another three-year-old girl tragically died in Arizona after being left in a hot car for over two hours.
The temperature was 101 degrees.
The family had returned home from an outing and had not realized the child was still in the SUV parked outside.
The names of the child and her family have not been released.
Buckeye police stated that no arrests have been made, and the investigation is ongoing.
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