A Frisco, Texas, mother has been charged with murder after she “intentionally” left her 15-month-old in a hot car earlier this month, resulting in the child’s death.
Vanessa Esquivel, 27, is accused of going into her Dallas workplace at Medical City Plano around 2 pm on August 16 when outside temperatures reached at least 95 degrees.
Esquivel Left the Child in the Car for 2 Hours Despite Knowing it Didn’t Have Functional Air Conditioning
Officials responded to reports of an infant death in the 3200 block of Preston Road and when they arrived at the scene, they learned that Esquivel had left the child in the car for two hours.
Police said Esquivel abandoned the child despite knowing she didn’t have working air conditioning in her car. Because her alleged crime was “intentional,” Esquivel meets the statutory requirements of murder.
Esquivel was arrested in Dallas on August 20 and transferred to Frisco, where she was later booked into Collin County Jail on a $250,000 bond. She faces a first-degree felony charge, punishable by five years to life in prison and up to a $10,000 fine.
Surge in Hot Car Deaths of Children in Texas This Year
This year, Texas has tragically seen a surge in hot-car fatalities involving children with nine children having died in the state. Earlier this week, a 15-month-old identified as Ari’yanna Sanora Combs, died after being forgotten in a vehicle under sweltering conditions in Bexar County. The parents were busy playing video games and napping—before discovering their daughter unresponsive, as reported by San Antonio Express-News.
Earlier in July, in Galena Park (Houston area), a 9-year-old girl died after being left in a car for eight hours while her mother worked; despite attempts like cracking windows and providing water, the vehicle’s interior became lethally hot in near-100°F heat.
These incidents underscore a broader statewide trend: Texas has recorded more hot-car child deaths than any other state in 2025, prompting officials and advocates to issue urgent safety warnings.
