Toddler Left Alone in Car Dies After Becoming 'Wedged' Between Car Door and Driver's Seat, Mother Charged

An 18-month-old in Michigan died from suffocation when her head became trapped between the driver's seat and the door of a truck parked outside the grocery store while her mother was inside.

Angelica Linda Arechiga left her three young children and a child she was babysitting alone in her pickup truck on October 9 while she went into the store to buy lunch. When she returned and opened the driver's side door, her daughter's body fell to the ground.

According to court records obtained by WOOD, the toddler had fallen backward and her head became stuck in a position that restricted her breathing. Arechiga rushed into the store for help, but despite efforts by paramedics, her daughter was later pronounced dead at the hospital.

Arechiga has been charged with child abuse: leaving a child in a vehicle resulting in death, a rarely used felony offense in Kent County that carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. The law, passed in 2009, was designed to hold parents accountable for leaving children unattended in vehicles.

Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker emphasized the dangers of leaving children alone in vehicles. "Horrible things can happen when children are left alone in a vehicle for even a short period of time," Becker stated.

Arechiga, who tearfully described the tragedy as an accident, was released on bond and is scheduled to appear in court later this month.