Texas Mother Charged with Murder After Leaving Baby in Sweltering Car, Stopping at McDonald’s Before ER Visit

A Texas mother is facing the possibility of life in prison after police say she left her infant son trapped in a scorching hot vehicle while she went to work — and even stopped at McDonald’s before rushing him to the hospital.

Vanessa Esquivel, 27, was arrested by the Dallas Police Department on Aug. 20 and charged with murder, according to WFAA-TV. If convicted, she could serve anywhere from five years to life in prison and face up to a $10,000 fine.

The tragic incident occurred Aug. 16 in Frisco, Texas, when temperatures climbed to 95 degrees Fahrenheit, KDFW-TV reported. Esquivel allegedly left her 15-month-old son inside her car while she worked a shift at a spa — despite knowing the vehicle’s air conditioning was broken.

More than two hours later, after clocking out around 4:15 p.m., Esquivel found her baby unresponsive. Rather than heading straight to the emergency room, the young mother reportedly ordered food at McDonald’s before driving to a Plano hospital.

According to the arrest affidavit, she lied to both medical staff and Plano police, claiming she had been with her son all day and that he had simply been ill while riding in a hot vehicle.

“Vanessa told medical staff and Plano PD officers that the victim did not seem to be feeling well, and that she had been driving him around during the day in a hot vehicle since her air conditioning did not work,” the affidavit stated. “Vanessa told medical staff and Plano PD officers that she had been with the victim the entire day, and he was not supervised by anyone else.”

Doctors determined the child’s core temperature was over 106 degrees Fahrenheit, concluding he had likely died before arriving at the hospital.

Investigators quickly unraveled Esquivel’s story. She initially denied going to work, but timecard records and a co-worker confirmed she had clocked in at 1:45 p.m. and worked until 4:15 p.m.

The following day, Esquivel reportedly phoned a spa employee — on a recorded line — admitting the child had died and that “the incident was her fault.” She also told the employee she expected to be arrested and pleaded that the call not be leaked.

She was booked into the Collin County Jail days later on a $250,000 bond.

This heartbreaking case underscores the dangers of leaving children in hot cars — a deadly act of negligence that continues to claim young lives across America.