Parents charged in death of toddler left in car overnight after party
HUMBLE, Texas -- Two Humble area parents are charged in the death of their 2-year-old daughter left in the backseat of a car overnight after coming home from a party.
Alicia Esquivel died of heat exposure after she was left in the car on Sept. 14, according to the Harris County District Attorney's office.
Olga Esquivel, 25, and Angel Esquivel-Blanco, 25, are charged with abandoning a child.
Olga is also charged with tampering with a corpse. Both were arrested by Harris County Sheriff's Office deputies.
"Parents have a duty to protect their children," Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg said. "And these parents will forever live with their child's horrible death and suffer the consequences of their actions."
Olga told sheriff's investigators that the family went to a party Sept. 14, according to court documents.
When they returned home around midnight, she told authorities she helped her intoxicated husband get inside, and they fell asleep. It wasn't until about noon when she woke up and realized Alicia was still in the car, she said.
Olga said she splashed water on the child and performed CPR but couldn't revive the little girl. She explained that she had waited more than an hour to call 911 because her cell phone was dead.
At first, Olga told deputies that Alicia had slept with her and her husband, according to court documents.
Olga then changed her story when deputies determined the young girl had been alive in the car, and actually taken cell phone video, as late as 10 a.m. that morning.
Abandoning a child and tampering with a corpse are second degree felonies that carry penalties of up to 20 years in prison.
