Texas Toddler Dies After Being Left Alone in Car as Car Seat Strap Wraps Around His Neck, Police Say

WESLACO, TEXAS — A 1-year-old boy died on Halloween night after authorities say he was left alone in a parked car for up to half an hour, during which a car seat strap became wrapped around his neck. His mother is now in jail facing a felony charge linked to the child’s death.

Deputies Say Child Was Found Not Breathing in the Back Seat

According to the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to a distress call shortly before 9 p.m. on Oct. 31 in the 8100 block of North FM 88 in rural Weslaco. When they arrived, first responders found the toddler unresponsive and not breathing.

Paramedics rushed him to a nearby hospital, but doctors pronounced the child dead shortly after arrival.

Investigators say the boy’s car seat had tipped forward behind the driver’s seat, and the strap was wrapped tightly around his neck.

Mother Allegedly Left 1-Year-Old Sleeping in the Car

Authorities say 26-year-old Ashley Jasmin Rivera told investigators she pulled up to the home with her four children. Because the 1-year-old was asleep, she decided to leave him in the car while she went inside with her three other kids.

Rivera allegedly admitted that she did not check on her son for 20 to 30 minutes.

A witness later walked out to the car and found the toddler unresponsive, still strapped into the seat.

Autopsy: Child Died from Strangulation

An autopsy performed two days later confirmed the cause of death as strangulation from the car seat strap.

Details about where Rivera and the other children were headed or what they were doing inside the residence have not been released. Deputies say the investigation remains ongoing.

Rivera Arrested; Held on $750,000 Bond

Rivera was arrested shortly after the autopsy results and booked into the Hidalgo County Jail, where records show she is being held on a $750,000 bond.

She faces a felony charge of injury to a child causing death, a serious offense under Texas law.

Community Shock as Details Emerge

The case has shaken the Weslaco community, particularly given how quickly a tragic accident can unfold when a child is left unattended. Authorities emphasized that even brief periods of inattention can lead to catastrophic consequences.

More updates are expected as investigators continue examining the circumstances surrounding the boy’s death.

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