Background: Maya Hernandez in court with defense attorney Teryl Wakeman (Law&Crime). Inset: Baby Amillio (GoFundMe).
A tragic case unfolded in California as a young mother faced the consequences of an unimaginable mistake: leaving her 1-year-old son in a hot car, which led to his untimely death. Maya Hernandez, aged 20, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison following her no contest plea to involuntary manslaughter.
On a sweltering day in June 2025, Hernandez left her two young sons in a car while attending a medical spa in Bakersfield. She had initially intended to be away for a short procedure, but due to unexpected delays, her absence stretched to two hours. Upon her return, she found her son Amillio unresponsive. Tragically, he did not survive.
Initial reports suggested Hernandez was at the spa for lip filler injections. However, court testimonies revealed she underwent a non-surgical Brazilian butt lift, typically a 20-minute procedure. Staff members at the spa confirmed that unforeseen scheduling delays kept Hernandez from her children for far longer than anticipated. During this period, she failed to communicate with anyone at the spa about the presence of her children in the vehicle.
In her defense, Hernandez claimed she monitored her sons via a phone app, relying on the car’s air conditioning to keep them cool. Unfortunately, the vehicle’s system shut off after an hour, causing the interior temperature to soar above the already scorching 101 degrees Fahrenheit outside.
Upon returning to her car around 4:30 p.m., Hernandez made the horrifying discovery of Amillio foaming at the mouth and seizing. Quick-thinking spa employees rushed to assist, attempting to cool down Amillio’s 2-year-old brother with water. Authorities arrived at the scene shortly thereafter, but it was too late for Amillio.
Amillio, who had a body temperature of 107 degrees, was brought to a hospital where he was pronounced dead at 5:48 p.m.
On Thursday, Judge Charles Brehmer sentenced Hernandez to a total fixed term of 15 yearsin prison. He addressed the court and Hernandez, saying, “Amillio’s never going to be forgotten.” He added, “Maya will be going to prison. Maya already has a life sentence because of the loss of Amillio.”
