A California mom was tracked down by the police and arrested after a video of her baby falling out of a car in the middle of the road went viral. The mother, who was later identified as 35-year-old Jacqueline Marie Hernandez, was driving a black SUV in Fullerton, located in the southern region of the state, on January 20. The baby fell from the vehicle at some time between 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m., according to police.
The shocking footage shows Hernandez’s 19-month-old baby hitting the roadway in the middle of traffic just when the mother turns left at an intersection. Police confirmed that the baby was seated in the front passenger seat and the car door swung open, causing the fall.
According to police, Hernandez reacted by hitting the brakes, which almost caused a collision with the oncoming vehicle behind her. She can be seen jumping out of the vehicle, on the driver’s side, and rushing to pick up the baby.
After retrieving the child, Hernandez did not linger at the scene and quickly got back into her vehicle before driving away. The police received assistance in identifying the mother’s vehicle after an eyewitness reached out to the Fullerton Police Department. The witness shared information with the police on January 24, triggering a follow-up investigation.
Upon identifying Hernandez, police found that she lived in the city of La Habra and went to her home. The vehicle was parked at the residence, and both the woman and the child were home when police arrived. The baby was found with injuries sustained during the incident, and the police charged Hernandez with child abuse.
She was booked into the Fullerton City Jail, while her baby was transported to the local hospital for medical care. Police addressed the incident in a press release on Monday, sharing that the toddler is expected to fully recover from the injuries. Authorities are still probing the circumstances surrounding the incident.
