Latest news with #KernCountyDistrictAttorney'sOffice
Global News
10-07-2025
- Global News
1-year-old dies in hot car while mom gets lip filler at spa
A California mom has been arrested and charged after her one-year-old son died inside her hot car while she was getting a cosmetic procedure inside a spa. Maya Hernandez, 20, was charged with involuntary manslaughter and child cruelty after she allegedly left the infant and his two-year-old brother alone for several hours inside her car while she was getting lip filler at the Always Beautiful Medical Spa in Bakersfield on June 29, according to NBC News. She has pleaded not guilty and is being held in lieu of US$1 million bail, according to the Kern County District Attorney's Office. A Bakersfield police report, viewed by the Los Angeles Times, said that Hernandez told police she called 911 after discovering her youngest son, Amillio Gutierrez, having a seizure when she returned to her car after finishing her appointment. Story continues below advertisement Officers arrived at the scene and found him 'unconscious, not breathing and had blue discoloration around his lips,' according to the police report. Hernandez's other son had 'soaking wet' hair and 'appeared lethargic,' the report added. An ambulance transported both children to Adventist Health hospital. The one-year-old boy wasn't breathing, had no pulse, and his lips were blue upon arrival. Medical personnel attempted to perform life-saving measures, but the boy was pronounced dead an hour later. The other child recovered and has since been placed in protective custody, according to the police report. 5:44 Child Safety Link discusses the risks associated with leaving kids alone in the car Hernandez told police that she left her children in their car seats in the backseat of her 2022 Toyota Corolla Hybrid with the car's engine running and the air conditioning on when she went inside the spa around 2 p.m. Story continues below advertisement She said she left them with crackers, candy and milk, and her cell phone so they could watch television. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Once Hernandez returned to her car around 4:30 p.m., she said she noticed her younger son was 'appearing to have a seizure due to him foaming at the mouth and shaking.' The police report claims that Hernandez's car has an automatic feature that shuts off its engine after it has been left running for one hour while in park. Police estimated that the engine in Hernandez's car automatically shut off around 3 p.m. and turned off the vehicle's air conditioning for around 90 minutes before she returned at around 4:30 p.m. When police asked Hernandez why she didn't bring her sons inside the med spa with her, she said she didn't think anything would happen since she left her car running with the air conditioning on. '(Hernandez) stated she was certain that her car would stay on with the air conditioning running the whole time she was gone, because she had been in her car for extended periods of time before and had even slept in her car,' the report added. Earlier that day, Hernandez had texted a nurse at the spa to ask if she could bring her children inside. The nurse said, 'Sure if you don't mind them waiting in the waiting room,' according to the police report. Story continues below advertisement The police report noted that the National Weather Service said it was 101 degrees Fahrenheit (38.3 C) in Bakersfield on June 29, and the internal temperature inside her car likely reached 143 degrees Fahrenheit (61.6 C ) that afternoon. 'Hernandez admitted that she knew her actions were irresponsible and that she considered that when she was getting out of the car, but she left them in the vehicle regardless,' Det. Kyle McNabb said. McNabb noted that it is 'commonly known that leaving young children unattended in a vehicle in extreme weather is dangerous and can result in death.' 1:56 Toddler dies in Long Island after left in hot car for hours The boys' grandmother, Katie Martinez, told ABC News that she is devastated by the loss and the circumstances surrounding it. 'They were strapped in their car seats. They couldn't even get up to save themselves,' she told the outlet. 'She literally locked them in their car seats and shut their doors.' Story continues below advertisement 'If you just take 20 minutes out of your day and go in your car and feel how it feels, I think that's the only thing that will teach you how to know what a kid feels.' Martinez added that it was out of character for Hernandez to leave her children in her car. 'She wasn't like that. She was a really loving mom,' Martinez said. 'Those boys loved her. They really loved her and they relied on her.' Hernandez is scheduled to appear in court on July 11 for a pre-preliminary hearing.
Miami Herald
29-05-2025
- Miami Herald
Son told cops ‘robber' shot his dad, beat mom, CA officials say. He's convicted
A man accused of falsely telling police a 'robber' shot his father and beat his mother has been convicted, California prosecutors say. Edward James Pull, 39, was found guilty of second-degree murder in the death of his father, Edward William Pull, the Kern County District Attorney's Office said in a May 27 news release. 'This was a heinous and calculated act, one that the victims never saw coming,' Assistant District Attorney Joseph Kinzel said in the release. Bakersfield police responded to a report of a possible robbery the morning of Dec. 11, 2017, prosecutors said. Officers arrived to find Edward William Pull and his wife bleeding on the floor, prosecutors said. Edward James Pull told officers a robber entered their home, then 'shot his father and beat his mother,' prosecutors said. However, later in the morning, the mother debunked her son's story, telling officers he was behind the attacks, prosecutors said. Video surveillance captured inside the home showed Edward James Pull in a mask and gloves leaving his bedroom armed with a 'loaded AR-15 style MR Carbine firearm,' according to prosecutors. 'He stormed into his father's bedroom and pointed the gun at him and began yelling,' prosecutors said. The mother 'heard the commotion' and rushed inside the room, prosecutors said. Then, Edward James Pull beat his mother with the rifle, leaving her with an eight-inch gash on her head and cuts and bruises all over her body, prosecutors said. When the father tried to help his wife, Edward James Pull began to attack him with the rifle, prosecutors said. As Edward William Pull 'tried to save himself and his wife from the attack,' his son shot him in the stomach and leg, prosecutors said. Edward James Pull did not call for help right away, prosecutors said. Instead, he waited four hours and 'forced his mother to help him clean up the crime scene, hide and destroy evidence and come up with a lie to tell police,' according to prosecutors. After officers arrived, Edward William Pull was taken to a hospital, 'where he underwent several operations,' prosecutors said. Despite efforts to save the father, the injuries to his abdomen were 'too severe,' and he died a week later, prosecutors said. In addition to second-degree murder, a jury also found Edward James Pull guilty of 'assault with an AR-15 style rifle causing great bodily injury, false imprisonment, elder abuse, and being a felon in possession of a firearm,' prosecutors said. During a bench trial, a judge found 'several aggravating factors including the defendant's prior convictions' to be true, prosecutors said. Edward James Pull has 'three prior 2006 felony convictions for lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14,' according to prosecutors. 'Not only did the defendant take the life of his own father, but he also attempted to cover it up and force his mother into being his accomplice,' Kinzel said.' Yet despite his efforts to evade accountability, justice prevailed in the end.' Edward James Pull is scheduled to appear in court July 15 and 'faces multiple life sentences,' prosecutors said. Bakersfield is about a 110-mile drive northwest from Los Angeles.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
DA: Man found guilty of murdering father, assaulting mother
A man faces multiple life sentences when he is to be sentenced July 15 for murdering his father and assaulting his mother, who he tried to get to help cover up the crimes, according to the Kern County District Attorney's Office. Edward James Pull on Friday was found by a jury to be guilty of second-degree murder in the death of his father, Edward William Pull. He was also convicted of several crimes against his mother, including assault with an AR-15 style rifle causing great bodily injury, false imprisonment, elder abuse and being a felon in possession of a firearm, the DA's office reported. Firearm and great bodily injury enhancements were also found to be true. The judge found true several aggravating factors, including the defendant's three prior 2006 felony convictions for lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14, a DA's office news release said. Bakersfield Police Department officers who were sent Dec. 11, 2017 to investigate a robbery found two victims bleeding. The defendant told police a robber had shot his father and beat his mother, but later, when she was safe, the mother said there was no robber and her son was the perpetrator, according to prosecutors. Surveillance video confirmed that, a DA's office news release said, showing the defendant came out of his bedroom wearing a mask and gloves and carrying a loaded AR-15 style MR Carbine firearm. The defendant pointed the gun at his father and yelled; the mother came to see what was happening and then was beaten on her head with the rifle, causing an eight-inch gash on the top her head, as well as other head lacerations and bruising all over her body, according to the DA's office. When Edward William Pull tried to help his wife, the defendant assaulted him with the firearm and then shot his father twice, once in the abdomen and once in the left leg, prosecutors said. The defendant waited four hours to call for help, forcing his mother to help clean up the crime scene, hide and destroy evidence, the news release said. While Edward William Pull underwent several operations to attempt to save his life, he died from his injuries a week later. 'This was a heinous and calculated act, one that the victims' never saw coming. Not only did the defendant take the life of his own father, but he also attempted to cover it up and force his mother into being his accomplice," Assistant District Attorney Joseph Kinzel said in the news release. "Yet despite his efforts to evade accountability, justice prevailed in the end.'
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Yahoo
Petty theft leads to 4-year prison sentence
A man was sentenced in Kern County Superior Court last week to four years in prison after pleading guilty in April to petty theft with two prior convictions and admitting to a prior strike. Kristopher Howard's conviction follows an incident Dec. 26 in which he entered the Go Mini Mart on Wilson Road then walked out with a drink without paying, according to a news release Friday from the Kern County District Attorney's Office. It said a store employee approached Howard, who then pushed him and said, "I'm going to kill you," while motioning to his pockets. Howard's six prior theft convictions made him eligible for a felony charge under Proposition 36.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Yahoo
Man sentenced to 2 years, 8 months after pleading guilty to petty theft
A man convicted of petty theft with two prior convictions was sentenced Thursday to two years and eight months in prison and ordered to pay restitution to his victims, the Kern County District Attorney's Office said Friday. Juventino Espinoza's sentence stemmed from a theft Jan. 2 at the Target store on Mall View Road, according to a news release from the DA's Office. It said he was arrested after taking items including batteries and shavers without paying. Espinoza entered a plea before a Kern County Superior Court jury had been sworn in for his trial. He also admitted to a prior strike. He had 10 prior convictions for shoplifting and petty theft, making him eligible for a felony charge under Proposition 36. He also had a 2023 strike for assault with a deadly weapon.
