Two Indiana parents are in custody after their 2-year-old daughter tragically died from overheating in a closet, allegedly left unattended with a space heater turned up to its highest setting. Sintia Perez, 21, and Jace Hirschy, 23, were arrested following the discovery of their daughter's lifeless body on November 27 in Berne, Indiana. Police found the child with an internal body temperature as high as 109.4 degrees, an extreme level indicative of hyperthermia.
Both Perez and Hirschy have been charged with felony neglect of a child resulting in death, in addition to two other felony charges related to neglect of a dependent. The Indiana Department of Child Services has since removed the couple’s other children, aged 3 and 5, from their care after investigators determined that the family’s living conditions were "extremely unhealthy" for the children.
According to authorities, the toddler's body was discovered in a room filled with trash, soiled diapers, and feces. The child was found lying on a “very soiled mattress” inside a crib in a closet, with the room temperature significantly higher than the rest of the house. Perez allegedly told officers that she and her partner placed the toddler in the crib around 7 p.m. the night before, with the space heater left running at full capacity, and did not check on her until approximately 3 p.m. the following day.
An autopsy confirmed that the cause of death was hyperthermia, caused by overheating in the confined space. The case has shocked the local community, as authorities continue to investigate the neglectful conditions in the household.
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