A five-year-old boy named Dionicio Perez has tragically died after allegedly being left in a hot car for a staggering seven hours.
This heartbreaking incident occurred on Wednesday when Perez was found in the vehicle, unresponsive.
He was immediately rushed to the hospital, but despite the efforts of medical personnel, they were unable to save him.
The young boy was declared dead upon arrival. It was reported that when Perez was taken from the car at around 5 p.m., his body temperature had reached a dangerously high 105°F.
The boy’s foster mother, 40-year-old Juanita Pinon, is now facing serious charges of child abuse by neglect resulting in death.
If she is convicted, she could be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison.
According to a police statement, Pinon did not clarify whether she had left Perez in the car intentionally or if it was a tragic accident.
Chris Gordon, a police spokesperson, informed ABC News, “The suspect did not provide a statement to declare whether it was an accident or intentional.”
Pinon is being held in police custody.Omaha Police Department
Prosecutors have stated that Pinon parked her vehicle at approximately 10:30 in the morning before leaving it and heading to work.
She is currently being held in police custody, with her bond set at a substantial $2 million. Pinon’s next court appearance is scheduled for August 16.
In the wake of this devastating event, Perez’s family and friends came together to hold a vigil in his memory.
His biological father, Pablo Lopez, and his stepmother, Jenny, revealed that they had made efforts to gain custody of Perez.
They were assured that he would be well taken care of with a foster family.
“Why until that moment did they look for me, until he was dead? They could’ve done when he was alive, and they didn’t.”
Following this tragedy, Jenny has called for more stringent background checks for people applying to become foster parents to ensure their capability and suitability.
Dionicio Perez was declared dead in hospital.GoFundMe
She passionately said, “Please, I ask the system to look into the person.”
“Investigate the person to the most thorough way possible before putting kids in the hands of people who don’t want kids.” Pablo Lopez is also working towards gaining custody of Perez’s twin sister.
The loss has deeply affected Perez’s biological uncle, Matthew Jesop, who was left devastated.
He reflected on the incident, saying, “So many images come to my head, like, how many times have you done this before?
“How many times have you not met the needs of the kids that are in your care?”
According to the national nonprofit organization KidsAndCars.org, at least 10 children have died in the United States this year after being left in hot cars.
