2-year-old California girl dies after mom leaves her in car with heater on for over 5 hours to drink alcohol with friend
WEST CARSON, CALIFORNIA: A two-year-old baby has reportedly died after her mother left her in the family car with the heater on for more than five hours while she was drinking with a friend, according to a report by KTLA 5.
The incident reportedly took place at the 22400 block of South Vermont Avenue at West Carson on September 21. The cause of death is yet to be determined as the child's autopsy is awaited. Other forensic tests have also been done.
The child, named June Love Augusto, died at the hospital the same day. The mother's name has not yet been released but according to a report in Norwich Bulletin, she was identified as 27-year-old Lacey Mazzarella from Danielson.
She is initially said to have lied to investigators saying that the child was getting dropped at the babysitter's place and was left alone for not more than a minute.
However, she recanted later and said that June had been left alone in the car on September 21 at 11.30 pm while the mother joined a friend nearby to drink, the coroner's report said.
She had then turned the heater on and put a blanket on the child. The mother said she fell asleep and when she woke up at 5 am, the child wasn't responding.
According to the report, "vomit was present on her shirt and the car seat. The skin was coming off the decedent's back. (The mother) placed her on the grass and sprayed her with a water hose in an attempt to cool her down. The decedent was taken into and a call was placed to 911."
Her temperature when she reached the hospital had been 107.5 degrees. She also had burns on her face, chest, and arms and her eyes had been cloudy.
It was also reported that the mother had already lost one other child after being caught in a cocaine bust.