A shocking incident in California has led to a mother facing a felony child abuse charge after a video surfaced showing her 19-month-old child falling out of her moving car as she turned onto an intersection. The video quickly went viral on social media, prompting an investigation by the Fullerton Police Department.
The disturbing footage shows the toddler falling out of the passenger side door of an SUV and into a busy roadway in Fullerton, Orange County. The SUV comes to an abrupt stop, nearly causing a collision with the vehicle behind it. The driver behind the SUV is seen braking suddenly, with the toddler directly in front of their car.
After the SUV stops, a woman, later identified as Jacqueline Hernandez, the child’s mother, exits the vehicle, picks up the child, and returns to the vehicle before the video ends. A witness who saw the near collision reported the incident to the police, leading to Hernandez’s arrest on a child abuse charge.
Hernandez, 35, was taken into custody at her La Habra home and detained at the Fullerton City Jail. The child was treated for injuries sustained from falling out of the car and is expected to make a full recovery. The circumstances surrounding how the 19-month-old fell out of the vehicle remain unclear.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recommends that children should be secured in a car seat for as long as possible to maximize safety. Babies from birth to three years of age should be kept in a rear-facing car seat until they reach the height or weight limit specified by the car seat manufacturer. After outgrowing the rear-facing seat, children should transition to a forward-facing car seat with a harness and tether, followed by a booster seat in the back seat of the vehicle.
The Fullerton Police Department is seeking additional witnesses to the incident and asks anyone with information to contact Detective H. Rios at 714-738-6782 or email hrios@fullertonpd.org. Anonymous tips can also be submitted to Orange County Crime Stoppers. Fullerton is located approximately 25 miles southeast of Los Angeles.
This incident serves as a reminder of the importance of child safety in vehicles and the need to follow proper car seat guidelines to protect young passengers.
