Police say a 19-month-old tumbled onto a Fullerton roadway as the SUV turned through a busy intersection.
FULLERTON, Calif. — A 35-year-old mother was arrested on suspicion of felony child abuse after her 19-month-old fell from a moving SUV at a Fullerton intersection on Jan. 20, police said. The arrest followed the release of dashcam video that showed the child tumble into the road as the vehicle turned.
Authorities said the clip, posted online last week, sparked tips that helped Fullerton detectives identify the driver and track the black SUV to a home in La Habra. Officers arrested the mother on Monday and took the child for medical evaluation. Police said the toddler suffered injuries from the fall but is expected to recover. The case centers on whether the child was properly restrained and why a passenger door swung open in the middle of a turn. Officials said the investigation remains open and additional witnesses are being interviewed.
The incident happened just after the SUV entered the intersection, where the front passenger door opened and the toddler tumbled onto the asphalt, police said. Video shows the SUV momentarily rolling forward before the driver stops and runs back to pick up the child. A second car brakes in time and steers away. “It could have been far worse,” Fullerton Police spokespersons said in a recorded briefing, noting that traffic was moving in multiple directions. A witness later came forward with clearer video, which police said was crucial for reading the license plate and confirming the route the SUV took after leaving the scene.
Fullerton detectives said they located both the SUV and the mother at a residence in La Habra, where they also found the child. The mother, identified by police as Jacqueline Hernandez, 35, was booked on suspicion of felony child abuse. Police said the toddler was taken to a hospital and later released to a caregiver. Officials did not detail the specific injuries, citing privacy. Records reviewed by investigators include the video, new witness statements, and initial medical assessments. California law requires children under age two to ride in a rear-facing car seat in the back seat unless the child exceeds certain height or weight limits. Whether those rules were met is part of the ongoing review, police said.
The video quickly drew attention across Southern California. Drivers who were stopped at the light can be seen reacting as the toddler lands near the center of the intersection. One witness told officers they initially thought a bag had fallen from the car until the child moved. In a later interview, the same witness said they shared the clip after realizing police had not yet received a report. “We wanted them to see exactly what happened,” the witness said. Another driver said the child “was inches from being hit” before the second car swerved away.
Police described a timeline that begins with the Jan. 20 fall and ends with Monday’s arrest. Detectives said a witness formally contacted the department days after the incident with the key video. The department then used the plate number and vehicle description to identify Hernandez, and they coordinated with La Habra officers to locate the SUV. Investigators took statements, collected the child’s car seat, and documented the SUV’s door latches and locks. The findings will be submitted to the Orange County district attorney’s office for charging consideration. As of Tuesday, no court date had been set, and officials said more interviews are planned this week.
Traffic experts note the Malvern Avenue and Euclid Street area can be congested during peak periods, with left-turn queues and cross traffic. Police said weather did not appear to be a factor. Past department advisories have stressed proper child restraints and locked doors, but investigators said they are focusing on the facts captured in the video and what was found at the residence. Neighbors in La Habra said officers were at the address for hours Monday afternoon; one resident said they saw a black SUV on a flatbed and a car seat carried to a patrol unit.
Fullerton police said they expect to forward the case file to prosecutors after finishing additional interviews and mechanical checks on the SUV’s doors and child-lock systems. If charges are filed, an arraignment date will be set in Orange County Superior Court. Detectives also asked for any drivers with dashcam footage from the same intersection around the time of the incident to contact them. Meanwhile, the toddler is recovering, according to police, and remains in the care of a responsible adult as the inquiry moves ahead.
By late Tuesday, investigators said the immediate threat had passed and the scene was long cleared, but the video continues to circulate online. The next update is expected after detectives complete follow-up interviews and send their report to prosecutors this week.
Author note: Last updated January 27, 2026.