US Hot Car Death Case: Foster Mother Charged As Minor Boy Dies After She Leaves Him in Vehicle for 7 Hours
A 5-year-old boy tragically died after being left in a hot vehicle for seven hours by his foster mother in Nebraska, US.
New York, July 14: A 5-year-old boy tragically died after being left in a hot vehicle for seven hours by his foster mother in Nebraska, US. The incident occurred on Wednesday, marking the 10th hot-car fatality in the US this year. The boy was identified as Dionicio Perez. The authorities have charged the foster mother, Juanita Pinon (40), in connection with the incident.
According to a report published by the New York Post, Perez was found in an SUV parked outside the beauty salon where Pinon worked. Authorities reported that his body temperature had reached 105 degrees by the time he was pronounced dead at a local hospital. US: Woman Charged With Child Endangerment After Leaving Her 3 Children in Hot Car While Shopping for Nearly an Hour in Texas.
Woman Had Been Charged With Child Abuse Earlier
Pinon, who has a criminal record dating back to 2016, was arrested and charged with child abuse by neglect resulting in death. She faces up to 20 years in prison, with her bond set at USD 2 million. This is not her first legal trouble; she was previously convicted of theft by deception in 2016 for defrauding non-English speaking renters out of USD 12,000. US: Woman Charged With Manslaughter After Leaving Eight-Year-Old Daughter in Hot Car While She Worked in Charlotte.
The young boy’s biological father, Pablo Lopez, and his stepmother, Jenny, had been seeking custody of Perez and his twin sister. They were assured by the state that the children were in good hands. Following this tragedy, Lopez is now trying to gain custody of Perez’s twin sister, who recently turned five. A GoFundMe campaign has been established to help cover legal expenses to bring his sister home safely.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 14, 2024 08:02 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).