Texas Mother Faces Additional Charges After 1-Year-Old Died Strangled by Car Seat Strap While Left Alone in Vehicle
HIDALGO COUNTY, TEXAS — A Texas mother whose 1-year-old child died after becoming strangled by a car seat strap while left alone in a vehicle is now facing additional criminal charges, according to jail records and local authorities.
Infant Death Leads to Expanded Criminal Case
Authorities say Ashley Jasmin Rivera, 26, was already charged with injury to a child causing death following the Halloween-night incident. She has since been charged with criminally negligent homicide and abandoning a child causing imminent danger of bodily injury, further deepening the criminal case against her.
Rivera was booked into the Hidalgo County Jail on the new charges and remained in custody as of Monday afternoon on a $60,000 bond, according to jail records.
Deputies Responded to Unresponsive Infant Call
The Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office said deputies responded to a call shortly before 9 p.m. on Oct. 31 in the 8100 block of North FM 88 in rural Weslaco, located near the U.S.-Mexico border.
When deputies arrived, they found a 1-year-old child not breathing inside a Ford Fusion. Paramedics rushed the child to a nearby hospital, where doctors pronounced the infant dead.
Car Seat Strap Found Around Child’s Neck
According to investigators, the child’s car seat was tipped forward behind the driver’s seat, and a car seat strap was wrapped around the child’s neck. Authorities later confirmed that an autopsy determined the child died from strangulation.
The sheriff’s office described the circumstances as extremely dangerous, particularly given the child’s age and inability to free themselves.
Child Left Alone for Extended Period
Investigators said Rivera told them she arrived at the location with her four children. Because the 1-year-old was sleeping, she allegedly left the infant alone inside the car while she and her three other children went inside the residence.
A witness later told deputies that 20 to 30 minutes passed before he went to check the vehicle and discovered the child unresponsive.
Investigation Remains Ongoing
Authorities have not released additional details about where Rivera and the other children were going or what activities were taking place while the infant was left alone in the vehicle. The sheriff’s office confirmed the investigation is still ongoing, and additional charges remain possible.
The case has renewed scrutiny around child safety, supervision responsibilities, and the deadly risks of leaving young children unattended in vehicles — even for short periods of time.
Readers can continue to follow updates on this developing case and share their thoughts by visiting CabarrusWeekly.com, where we track major criminal cases with regional and national impact.
