Mother Charged with Murder After Leaving Baby in Car at 95°F in Texas

Mother Charged with Murder

Baby Dies in Hot Car

Police Investigate Intentional Negligence

A tragedy has shaken the city of Frisco, Texas, after a mother was charged with intentional murder following the death of her 15-month-old daughter, who was left inside a vehicle under extreme temperatures.

The Frisco Police Department reported that Vanessa Esquivel, 27, faces serious charges after her baby died on August 16.

That day, the woman parked her car on the 3200 block of Preston Road, north of Dallas, to go to her workplace.

The outside temperature reached 95 degrees Fahrenheit (about 35°C), conditions that can turn a vehicle into a death trap within minutes.

An Action Considered Intentional

Mother Charged with Murder After Leaving Baby in Car at 95°F in Texas-Photo: Shutterstock

According to the detectives in charge of the case, Esquivel allegedly left her daughter in the car deliberately for more than two hours.

Authorities specified that the vehicle’s air conditioning was not working, which multiplied the risk for the child.

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“At that time, detectives believe that Esquivel intentionally left her 15-month-old child for more than two hours in a vehicle she knew had no functioning air conditioning,” police said in a statement.

Investigators concluded there was probable cause to determine that the woman committed an act of murder.

The Investigation After the Death of the Baby

The case began when Medical City Plano hospital reported the child’s death, prompting police to open a formal investigation.

According to the report, leaving the girl in those conditions caused severe injuries and posed an immediate risk to her life.

Authorities classified the incident as a serious crime, noting that Esquivel’s actions met the legal requirements to be prosecuted as murder.

“Since the incident caused the child’s death, her actions met the legal requirements for murder,” the authorities added in their official statement, as reported by El Heraldo de México.

Risks of Extreme Heat in Vehicles

Experts warn that on hot days, the temperature inside a car can rise quickly to lethal levels.

A vehicle exposed to the sun can reach more than 120°F (50°C) in just minutes, creating a fatal risk for young children trapped inside.

Child safety organizations stress that no child should ever be left alone in a car, not even for a few minutes.

Texas, along with Florida and California, ranks among the states with the highest number of child deaths in cars due to extreme heat.

A Tragedy That Opens Debate

The case has sparked outrage and an urgent call to raise public awareness about the dangers of vehicles under high temperatures.

The charges against Esquivel aim to set a precedent regarding parental legal responsibility in cases of severe negligence.

The Frisco community remains in shock, while the child’s family faces the pain of an irreversible loss.

The judicial process will continue in the coming months as debate grows over how to prevent similar tragedies in the future, noted El Heraldo de México.