A Southern California woman is facing felony child-abuse allegations after video captured a toddler tumbling out of a moving SUV and narrowly avoiding being struck on a busy roadway.
Jacqueline Hernandez, 35, of La Habra, was arrested on suspicion of felony child abuse after her 19-month-old child fell “from the passenger side of a moving vehicle,” the Fullerton Police Department said in a Monday, Jan. 26, press release.
Authorities believe the incident happened at the intersection of N. Euclid St. and W. Malvern Ave. on Jan. 20, between 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. local time. Police said they were not alerted until Jan. 24, when a witness reported what they saw.
In the footage, a black SUV enters the intersection and completes a turn when the front passenger door swings open. Moments later, the child falls out and lands in the roadway.
The video appears to show the child narrowly avoiding being run over as the driver abruptly stops, gets out, scoops the child up and rushes back to the driver’s seat before driving away.
A light-colored vehicle traveling behind the SUV also appeared to nearly strike the child. The driver brakes hard, and a yellow car behind it swerves to avoid a collision.
Police said the witness provided information that helped identify the vehicle. “The witness was able to provide identifying information related to the vehicle involved. Officers conducted a follow-up investigation, which led them to a residence in the City of La Habra,” police said. “Officers located the vehicle, the child, and the female involved in the incident seen in the video.”
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Investigators said the toddler suffered injuries consistent with the fall and was taken to a local hospital for treatment, but is expected to fully recover.
It was not immediately clear whether Hernandez has retained an attorney.
Under California law, children under 2 years old “shall ride in a rear-facing car seat” unless the child weighs at least 40 pounds or is at least 40 inches tall. “The child shall be secured in a manner that complies with the height and weight limits specified by the manufacturer of the car seat,” the California Highway Patrol site reads. Rear-facing seats should not be placed in front of an active air bag. Children are also required to ride in the back seat until age 8.
