Two parents from Indiana have been arrested after their 2-year-old daughter was found dead from hyperthermia, allegedly after being left in a closet overnight with a space heater turned up to its highest setting.
The tragic incident occurred on November 27, 2024, in Berne, Indiana.
According to police reports, the toddler’s internal body temperature was found to be a staggering 109.4 degrees Fahrenheit.
Officers responded to the home and discovered the girl’s lifeless body lying on a soiled mattress in her crib, with trash, soiled diapers, and feces scattered around the room, further emphasizing the unhealthy conditions in the home.
The parents, Sintia Perez, 21, and Jace Hirschy, 23, have been charged with felony neglect of a dependent resulting in death, along with two additional felony charges for neglect of a dependent.
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The Indiana Department of Child Services also took custody of the couple’s two other children, aged 3 and 5, after finding the living conditions in the home to be “extremely unhealthy.”
According to police, Perez admitted to placing the child in her crib around 7 p.m. with the space heater turned all the way up and not checking on her until around 3 p.m. the next day.
The authorities also noted a significant heat difference between the main bedroom and the closet where the toddler was left overnight.
An autopsy revealed that the young girl died from hyperthermia, a condition caused by overheating. The devastating loss has shocked the local community as the investigation continues.
Perez and Hirschy remain in custody as they await further legal proceedings.