BUCKEYE, AZ — Buckeye police are recommending charges against a woman after her 3-year-old daughter died in a hot car in September.
Police tell ABC15 they have recommended manslaughter and child abuse charges against the victim's mother, Yadira Medrano.
Officials were called to a home near Verrado Way and McDowell Road on September 8 after family members found a 3-year-old girl in a car.
Family told investigators at the time that the family had returned home from the park sometime after 2 p.m. They believed that everyone had gotten out of the car.
Later, when family members couldn't find the girl, they ultimately looked inside the vehicle and located her.
First responders attempted CPR on the girl before she was taken to a hospital where she died.
The temperature in Buckeye was 106°F - 107°F during the afternoon that day.
The charges recommended are now being reviewed by the Maricopa County Attorney's Office.
While cooler temperatures blanket the Valley, advocates for car safety say that starting habits long before the summer can build up the muscle memory that saves lives in extreme temperatures.
Actions to make a part of your daily routine:
- Put a shoe or necessary item in the back of the car so you have to look back when parked
- Place a stuffed animal or similar item in the car seat that you can move to the front seat after buckling the child in. This way you have a physical reminder up front that a child is in the back.
- Set up agreements with caregivers or daycares to reach out to you if your child isn’t there at the anticipated time.
Car manufacturers are also working to save lives.
Many major car makers set a goal to include rear seat notification systems in their cars by 2025.
As of November, more than 260 car models have implemented this technology, according to the Alliance for Automotive Innovation.
