Overview

• Maya Hernandez was arraigned on charges of involuntary manslaughter and child cruelty following the June 29 incident in Bakersfield that left one-year-old Amillio Gutierrez dead from heatstroke
• She is being held on combined bail exceeding $1 million as her case advances in Kern County Superior Court
• Hernandez’s surviving two-year-old son has been placed in protective custody after both children were found strapped inside the overheated vehicle
• Investigators found the Toyota Corolla hybrid’s automatic engine shut-off cut power to the air conditioning after one hour, leaving the interior unchecked for at least 90 minutes
• Safety advocates are urging automakers to install alert systems and parents to use back-seat reminders to prevent more hot-car fatalities