A Texas mother, Gabriela Elyzabeth Deras, has been charged with murder in the death of her infant son, Ethan Rosa Deras, who died in a hot car last year. Police found the child unresponsive at a mental health clinic in Houston, where he was left in the vehicle for some time before being discovered. An autopsy ruled Ethan’s death a homicide in April, leading to Deras’ arrest. Deras’ mother stated that her daughter had schizophrenia, post-partum depression, and could be forgetful, but would never intentionally harm her son. At a hearing, it was revealed that Deras has a mental illness or intellectual disability. She has a $50,000 bond and is prohibited from unsupervised visits with children or taking non-prescription medication. In a similar case, Christopher Scholtes from Arizona was charged with first-degree murder for leaving his 2-year-old daughter in a hot car while he played video games. The prosecution of hot car deaths varies, with reports of disparities based on factors such as race and socioeconomic status. Amber Rollins from Kids and Car Safety stated that these disparities in prosecution seem arbitrary and may be influenced by access to resources or legal representation.
Photo credit
www.usatoday.com
Mother from Houston charged in the hot car death of her baby boy
