VISALIA, Calif. — A California woman is accused of involuntary manslaughter after her 3-year-old daughter died in a hot car while the woman tended to marijuana plants, authorities said.
Eustajia Mojica Dominguez, 28, was “tending to a marijuana grow” while the girl, identified as Jessica Campos, was left inside the vehicle for nearly three hours, according to a news release by the Visalia Police Department.
Authorities responded Thursday when receiving a call about a child who was not breathing after being left in a parked vehicle, KSEE reported. A Visalia police officer who was near the scene arrived and took over CPR from family members who were trying to revive Campos, the television station reported.
Fire and ambulance personnel arrived to take over life-saving efforts and transported the child to an area hospital, where she was pronounced dead, KRON reported.
Four other children -- ages 15 and 11, and two who were 9 months old -- were also found at the residence, police said in the news release. They were turned over to child welfare services.
Police said four other adults at the residence were arrested, KRON reported: Araceli Mojica, 33; Emmanuel Ortiz-Aguilar, 34; Valentin Aguilar Ortiz, 27; and Victor Flores Corona, 41. All four were booked at the Tulare County Pretrial Facility on charges of child endangerment, according to the Visalia Police Department.
Eustajia Dominguez Mojica was also booked at the facility on charges of involuntary manslaughter and child endangerment.
Law enforcement officials said they have also recommended drug-related charges for all five adults, KSEE reported.