A mother from Orange County is now facing a misdemeanor charge of child abuse and endangerment after a shocking incident in which her 19-month-old child fell from a moving vehicle.
Jacqueline Marie Hernandez, aged 35, was apprehended on Monday on felony child abuse charges after the alarming video of the event spread rapidly on social media platforms.
The footage captured on the morning of January 20 shows the toddler tumbling out of Hernandez’s black SUV as it made a left turn at the intersection of W. Malvern Ave. and N. Euclid St., as reported by the police.
In a heart-stopping moment, the mother is seen rushing to retrieve her child, narrowly avoiding a collision with the car trailing behind her.
Kristy Wells, spokesperson for the Fullerton Police Department, expressed her relief that the child did not endure more severe injuries and issued a reminder to parents about the critical importance of using a car seat.
“It can save the life of your child,” Wells emphasized.
Hernandez’s arraignment at the North Justice Center in Fullerton is scheduled for April 22.
