Angelica Linda Arechiga, Grand Rapids, Michigan mom charged in the suffocating death of her toddler daughter, Juliet Magdelena, after leaving her unattended in parked pick up truck while running errands.
A Michigan mother has been charged with the death of her toddler daughter after the girl became wedged between the driver’s seat and door of the mom’s pickup truck as the parent shopped.
Angelica Linda Arechiga, 27, was charged with child abuse resulting in death last week following the incident which took place on October 9, 2024, in Grand Rapids, taking the life of her 18 month old daughter, Juliet Magdelena, WOOD reported.
‘Angelica left Juliet, an 18-month-old child unattended in a vehicle for a period of 15 minutes unrestrained and with no adult supervision which posed an unreasonable risk of harm or injury to Juliet, causing her death,’ a probable cause affidavit stated.
Grand Rapids toddler left unattended for 15 minutes by mom suffocates to death
The toddler’s death certificate lists asphyxia by wedging as the cause of death and the manner of death an accident.
Arechiga reportedly left her three children and a fourth child she was babysitting in her vehicle while she went inside a store for about 15 minutes. Upon returning to the vehicle, the toddler ‘covered in Cheetos’ fell out, ’not breathing’ upon the mother opening the car door according to the affidavit. None of the children were secured in car seats, the affidavit stated.
‘It appeared that Juliet had fallen backwards and her head/neck was caught between the driver’s seat and the door,’ the court document stated.
Eyewitnesses at the grocery store where Arechiga had parked her car said she ran inside in a panic after finding her daughter unconscious. ‘She just comes in screaming,’ one worker recalled, requesting anonymity. ‘We were confused … (the toddler) had Cheetos dust on her hands so we thought, ‘Maybe she was choking on her chips?’ So my cousin started patting her on the back but when her mom could speak, she was like ‘No, no …. she got her head stuck … and she’s not breathing.’’
First responders described the toddler’s pulse as ‘faint’ upon their arrival at the scene. “It was the saddest thing,” one worker recounted.
‘I just want people to know that this was an accident,’ Arechiga said through tears according to WOOD. ‘Yes, I could have done things differently that day. But I’ve learned from my mistakes. If I could go back in time to change things, I would, but I can’t.’
Arechiga was arraigned this week and released on a personal recognizance bond. She is due in court again later this month.
If convicted, Arechiga could face up to 15 years jail.
