15-month-old baby dies after being 'intentionally' left by mom in hot car for hours

A mother from Texas has been arrested for leaving her 15-month-old baby inside a hot car while she went to work.

According to a press release by the Frisco Police Department, the 27-year-old suspect named Vanessa Esquivel of Dallas, was arrested for the death of her child, whom she left inside a car without air conditioning for more than two hours.

Per authorities, the incident happened on Aug. 16. That day, Esquivel arrived at her office at the 3200 block of Preston Road at approximately 2:00 p.m. with her baby still inside the car. They said they believe the suspect intentionally left her baby inside the hot car, knowing that its air conditioning was not working amid extreme heat.

"Based on information gathered during the investigation, Frisco Detectives believe probable cause existed that Esquivel had committed murder, as her intentionally leaving the child in the car caused injury/endangered the child, which is a felony. Because it resulted in the child's death, her actions met the statutory requirements of murder," the press release read.

She was taken into police custody and is now at Collin County Jail. 

Esquivel was slapped with a charge of 1st degree felony and a bond worth $250,000 (over P14 million). She's also facing a five-year to life prison sentence and a fine of up to $10,000 (over P570,000).