North Texas Mother Charged After Deaths of Toddlers in Hot Car

The days are getting hot in Texas, and we have a sad story regarding the deaths of two toddlers. North Texas mother, Cynthia Marie Randolph, was found guilty of the May 26 deaths of 1-year-old Cavanaugh Ramirez and 2-year-old Juliet Ramirez after she left them in a hot car. According to police, Randolph said she locked her two young children in the car for a few hours to “teach them a lesson” after her daughter got out of the car without permission. She could be sentenced up to 20 years in prison for two second-degree felony counts.

Unfortunately, cases like this are not unique to North Texas or the country in general. On average, approximately 40 children die each year from heat stroke as a result of being left in a hot car. The Dallas personal injury lawyers at Rad Law Firm have extensive experience with these cases and can address the legal consequences that follow. In many cases, the question of whether the guardian or parent should be charged with first-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter, and second-degree murder is a major concern. In the example mentioned above, Randolph was originally charged with two counts of first-degree felony of knowingly causing injury to a child. These charges were reduced by the jury to second-degree felony counts.

The Dangers of Leaving a Child in a Parked Car

As the temperatures continue to rise, the risk of leaving a child in a parked car become extremely dangerous. A parked car on a hot day heats up very quickly, and it can be hard to guess just how long is too long to leave a child. We have seen numerous reports of children dying after being left in a hot car on even 65 and 70 degree days because cars can easily heat up to over 100 degrees. When it comes to these types of cases, they often fall within one of two categories:

• The parent or guardian knowingly leaves the child in the hot car with the intention of returning in a few minutes, only to be distracted by something
• The parent or guardian gets out of the car without realizing they have left the child in the car

There are also a handful of important factors that play a role in the outcome of these types of cases that you should be aware of:

• How long was the child left in the car?
• Where was the car parked?
• Who left the child in the car? If it was a parent, was the person usually responsible for taking care of the child?

It is no secret that these cases are extremely sensitive and taken very seriously by the court system. If you have been involved in a case similar to this, please contact the Dallas personal injury lawyers at Rad Law Firm. Whether your child was injured or died because of another person’s negligence, or if you mistakenly left your child in a hot car, we can help. Contact Rad Law Firm today and schedule a free consultation to discuss your case.