Father of 3-Year-Old Who Died in Hot Car While Mother Was Passed Out in Front Seat Speaks Out
Sandra Hernandez-Cazares, 42, was already dealing with the loss of two children to a drunk driver. Now she has to face the reality that a third child has also died. This time, according to police, it was her drinking that led to her 3-year-old daughter Ily Ruiz's death. On top of that, she's facing a charge of involuntary manslaughter and felony child neglect in relation to her daughter's death after police reported on Monday that they were both found Friday inside her Ford Expedition with the doors locked and empty alcohol containers alongside. It was 104 degrees outside. Both mother and daughter were rushed to the hospital, according to the Anaheim Police Department, but it was there that Ily Ruiz was pronounced dead from suspected heat stroke, as reported by KNBC. Hernandez-Cazares was treated and released into the custody of the Anaheim Police Department Detention Facility. Speaking to KNBC, a woman claiming to be Hernandez-Cazares' great aunt said that the suspect had locked herself and her daughter in the car. She further explained that Hernandez-Cazares' other child was in school, and it was the family's understanding that she was on her way to pick up this child when the tragic incident happened. After the school reported that no one had picked up her son, Hernandez's family started to look for her, according to KTLA. When the family arrived at the woman's apartment building, per the outlet, they found her vehicle parked outside. That's also where they found Hernandez-Cazares and her daughter, locked inside and unconscious. The family reportedly smashed the windows and attempted to resuscitate Ruiz. Anaheim police have currently ruled out a possible murder-suicide attempt on the part of Hernandez-Cazares, per KNBC, but the investigation is ongoing. It's been 12 years since Hernandez-Cazares lost two previous children. Her sons were nine and five when they were killed by a drunk driver in a campground in South Dakota. Per KTLA, the boys were sleeping inside a tent when they were struck and killed. After their deaths, the outlet reports that Hernandez-Cazares' then-husband Juan Ruiz lobbied for stronger penalties in the local legislature for people driving under the influence. On Sunday, Ruiz took to social media in an extremely emotional video to mourn the loss of his daughter (NSFW language), saying, "I wish I was making this up, but no, my daughter really is dead due to the negligence of her mother." At the same time, Ruiz admitted that he has mixed emotions, because while he firmly believes this was an accident, it's still Hernandez-Cazares' fault that their daughter is dead. "Sandy’s a good mom. She would never do this on purpose. She would never hurt her baby," Ruiz told The Daily Mail. "We already lost two babies." He explained that he'd never expected to have a daughter after having three boys. "I named her ILY," which stands for 'I love you,'" he told the outlet. "She loved everything, Princesses. Frozen. She loved helping me cook." As for his ex-wife, he believes that she may have turned to alcohol to cope with depression. "I told her family she needed help, but nobody listened to me," he told The Daily Mail. "I’m not going to speak badly about Sandra because she’s not a bad person. She needs help." At the same time, he admitted that he's angry. "It doesn't change the face she did what she did, right?" he said. "I'm angry at her family for not listening to me. I am angry but I am trying to be clear-minded here and tell you guys that she would never do this on purpose." Breaking down the conflict in his heart, Ruiz said, "I hate her so much right now. I hate her and I feel bad for her. I hate her, and I feel sorry for her. And, I hate the fact that it happened, the way that my baby died." At the same time, he admitted, he's "concerned for her well being in there," referring to her being behind bars, "because I know how the prison works here in California." Speaking about the case, Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said, "The unimaginable pain of having your 5-year-old and 9-year-old sons killed by a drunk driver is something from which you can never recover. Anyone who has suffered such a devastating tragedy knows the ripple effects of grief may be able to be hidden, but the heartbreak of losing your children will never go away." "A mother who was robbed of the chance to see two of her sons grow up because of the selfish decision of a stranger will have to live with the fact she will never get to see her little girl grow up because of the choices she made." A GoFundMe has been set up by the family to help with funeral expenses for Ily Ruiz
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As the temperature reached 104 degrees, Sandra Hernandez-Cazares -- who'd lost two previous children to a drunk driver -- was found unconscious in the driver's seat with containers of alcohol and her 3-year-old daughter locked inside the car.
Sandra Hernandez-Cazares, 42, was already dealing with the loss of two children to a drunk driver. Now she has to face the reality that a third child has also died. This time, according to police, it was her drinking that led to her 3-year-old daughter Ily Ruiz's death.
On top of that, she's facing a charge of involuntary manslaughter and felony child neglect in relation to her daughter's death after police reported on Monday that they were both found Friday inside her Ford Expedition with the doors locked and empty alcohol containers alongside. It was 104 degrees outside.
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Both mother and daughter were rushed to the hospital, according to the Anaheim Police Department, but it was there that Ily Ruiz was pronounced dead from suspected heat stroke, as reported by KNBC.
Hernandez-Cazares was treated and released into the custody of the Anaheim Police Department Detention Facility. Speaking to KNBC, a woman claiming to be Hernandez-Cazares' great aunt said that the suspect had locked herself and her daughter in the car.
She further explained that Hernandez-Cazares' other child was in school, and it was the family's understanding that she was on her way to pick up this child when the tragic incident happened. After the school reported that no one had picked up her son, Hernandez's family started to look for her, according to KTLA.
When the family arrived at the woman's apartment building, per the outlet, they found her vehicle parked outside. That's also where they found Hernandez-Cazares and her daughter, locked inside and unconscious. The family reportedly smashed the windows and attempted to resuscitate Ruiz.
Anaheim police have currently ruled out a possible murder-suicide attempt on the part of Hernandez-Cazares, per KNBC, but the investigation is ongoing.
Ily Ruiz's Father Speaks Out
It's been 12 years since Hernandez-Cazares lost two previous children. Her sons were nine and five when they were killed by a drunk driver in a campground in South Dakota. Per KTLA, the boys were sleeping inside a tent when they were struck and killed.
After their deaths, the outlet reports that Hernandez-Cazares' then-husband Juan Ruiz lobbied for stronger penalties in the local legislature for people driving under the influence.
On Sunday, Ruiz took to social media in an extremely emotional video to mourn the loss of his daughter (NSFW language), saying, "I wish I was making this up, but no, my daughter really is dead due to the negligence of her mother."
At the same time, Ruiz admitted that he has mixed emotions, because while he firmly believes this was an accident, it's still Hernandez-Cazares' fault that their daughter is dead.
"Sandy’s a good mom. She would never do this on purpose. She would never hurt her baby," Ruiz told The Daily Mail. "We already lost two babies."
He explained that he'd never expected to have a daughter after having three boys. "I named her ILY," which stands for 'I love you,'" he told the outlet. "She loved everything, Princesses. Frozen. She loved helping me cook."
As for his ex-wife, he believes that she may have turned to alcohol to cope with depression. "I told her family she needed help, but nobody listened to me," he told The Daily Mail. "I’m not going to speak badly about Sandra because she’s not a bad person. She needs help."
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At the same time, he admitted that he's angry. "It doesn't change the face she did what she did, right?" he said. "I'm angry at her family for not listening to me. I am angry but I am trying to be clear-minded here and tell you guys that she would never do this on purpose."
Breaking down the conflict in his heart, Ruiz said, "I hate her so much right now. I hate her and I feel bad for her. I hate her, and I feel sorry for her. And, I hate the fact that it happened, the way that my baby died."
At the same time, he admitted, he's "concerned for her well being in there," referring to her being behind bars, "because I know how the prison works here in California."
Speaking about the case, Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said, "The unimaginable pain of having your 5-year-old and 9-year-old sons killed by a drunk driver is something from which you can never recover. Anyone who has suffered such a devastating tragedy knows the ripple effects of grief may be able to be hidden, but the heartbreak of losing your children will never go away."
"A mother who was robbed of the chance to see two of her sons grow up because of the selfish decision of a stranger will have to live with the fact she will never get to see her little girl grow up because of the choices she made."
A GoFundMe has been set up by the family to help with funeral expenses for Ily Ruiz
