A young California mother is now facing serious charges after allegedly leaving her two baby sons locked in a hot car for more than two hours—while she underwent a cosmetic lip enhancement at a local spa.
It was a scorching afternoon on June 29 in Bakersfield, with outdoor temperatures reaching 101°F. But inside the car, the heat became deadly.
According to authorities, 1-year-old Amillio Gutierrez and his 2-year-old brother were “strapped” into their car seats in a 2022 Toyota Corolla and left unattended while their mother, Maya Hernandez, visited the Always Beautiful Medica Spa for a scheduled procedure.
A Deadly Decision
Before the appointment, Hernandez reportedly asked spa staff if children were allowed in the building. A technician replied that they could stay in the waiting room. But when she arrived, she made no mention of the toddlers—and allegedly left them outside in the vehicle.
While the spa visit reportedly lasted just 15 to 20 minutes, police say the children were actually left in the car for over two hours. Hernandez didn’t check on them once during that time.
Inside the vehicle, the temperature climbed to a staggering 143°F. Although Hernandez told police she left the engine running with the A/C on, investigators discovered that the car had an automatic shutoff feature, which turned off the engine after one hour.
By the time Hernandez returned around 4:30 p.m., the damage had already been done.
Desperate Measures, Too Late
Amillio was seizing and foaming at the mouth. His 2-year-old brother was drenched in sweat. A concerned spa customer rushed to help, bringing the toddler into a bathroom and trying to cool his overheated body with water. But it was already too late for baby Amillio, whose body temperature had reached 107°F.
Both boys were rushed to the hospital. Amillio did not survive.
“I watched them pouring water on the child right there in the lobby,” said Gricelda Anaya, a witness from a nearby shop. “It was heartbreaking. It never should’ve happened.”
Facing Justice
Maya Hernandez is now under investigation for child endangerment resulting in death—a tragedy that has rocked the Bakersfield community and left many asking how something so preventable could unfold in broad daylight.
As the community mourns the loss of baby Amillio, the case stands as a chilling reminder of the deadly consequences of leaving children in hot vehicles—even for just a short time.
While 1-year-old Amillio Gutierrez tragically lost his life after being left in a sweltering car, his 2-year-old brother miraculously survived — his body temperature recorded at 99°F. But the difference in outcomes, experts say, comes down to biology.
Children over the age of two can begin to regulate their body temperature through sweating. Infants, however, lack that crucial ability — making them dangerously vulnerable in extreme heat. In hot vehicles, it takes just minutes for conditions to become lethal.
“They Couldn’t Save Themselves”
“They were strapped in their car seats. They couldn’t even get up to save themselves,” said their heartbroken grandmother, Katie Martinez, in an interview with ABC7. “She literally locked them in their car seats and shut their doors.”
Struggling to comprehend their suffering, Martinez has forced herself to sit inside her own car, engine off, windows sealed — just to feel the unbearable heat her grandsons endured.
“If you just take 20 minutes out of your day and go in your car and feel how it feels,” she said, “I think that’s the only thing that will teach you how to know what a kid feels.”
“I Don’t Know Why I Did It”
When questioned by police, Maya Hernandez admitted she had considered the risks of leaving her children behind — and acknowledged it was irresponsible. But even after that, she made the decision to walk away.
According to investigators, she could offer no explanation for her actions — only that she had made a terrible choice she couldn’t justify.
“My message to her is to accept the responsibility,” said witness Gricelda Anaya in a powerful statement to KGET. “Own what you did.”
Maya Hernandez is now facing charges of involuntary manslaughter and felony child cruelty. She’s being held on $1 million bail and is scheduled to appear in court this Friday for a pre-preliminary hearing.
The heartbreak extends even further. The boys’ father — currently incarcerated on unrelated charges — learned of his son Amillio’s death not from loved ones, but through a jail chaplain delivering the unimaginable news behind bars.
A Preventable Tragedy
This wasn’t a random accident. Authorities and loved ones agree: Amillio’s death was a preventable loss, rooted in a moment of shocking neglect that shattered a family and stunned an entire community.
One decision — one moment of selfishness — cost a baby his life. It left his older brother traumatized, a father broken, and a grandmother reeling with grief.
As the case moves through the justice system, one painful truth stands firm:
No errand, no spa appointment, no excuse is worth a child’s life.
What do you think justice looks like in this case?
Share your thoughts below, and help raise awareness by sharing Amillio’s story. No family should ever have to endure this kind of loss again.