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Video shows toddler falling from moving SUV in Fullerton; mother arrested

By
Updated  January 26, 2026 1:03pm PST
Crime and Public Safety
FOX 11

The Brief

    • A mother has been arrested after a video went viral showing her 19-month-old child falling out of a moving SUV at a busy Fullerton intersection on January 20.
    • Jacqueline Hernandez, 35, was booked for felony child abuse after a witness helped police track her vehicle to a residence in La Habra on Saturday.
    • The child is expected to make a full recovery after being treated at a local hospital for injuries sustained during the fall onto the roadway.

FULLERTON, Calif. - A mother is facing felony charges after her 9-month-old toddler fell from her moving vehicle into a busy Fullerton intersection last Tuesday. 

The incident, captured on a dashcam, went viral on social media before a witness came forward to provide the identifying information that led to an arrest.

What we know:

The incident happened the morning of Jan. 20 at the intersection of North Euclid Street and West Maldern Avenue.

Video footage showed a black SUV making an eastbound turn when the front passenger door opened, causing a small child to fall onto the pavement. 

The driver, later identified as 35-year-old Jacqueline Hernandez of La Habra, was seen stopping the vehicle, running to pick up the child, and driving away.

On January 24, a witness provided police with vehicle details that allowed officers to locate Hernandez and the child at a residence in La Habra. 

The child was taken to a hospital for treatment of injuries and is expected to survive, according to police.

Hernandez was booked at the Fullerton City Jail on charges of felony child abuse.

What we don't know:

It is currently unclear how the passenger door became unlatched or if the child was properly secured in a car seat at the time of the fall.

Police have not yet released information regarding whether there were other passengers in the vehicle or if Hernandez has a prior history with Child Protective Services.

Timeline:

Jan. 20, 2026: The incident occurred between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. No immediate calls reporting the incident were made to police.

Jan. 20–23, 2026: Video of the incident begins circulating on social media.

Jan. 24, 2026: A witness comes forward with vehicle information; Fullerton police locate Hernandez and the child in La Habra.

Jan. 26, 2026: Fullerton Police Department releases official details of the arrest and the child's condition.

What's next:

Hernandez remains in custody pending further legal proceedings.

The investigation remains ongoing.

What you can do:

Anyone with additional information or video of the incident is encouraged to contact Detective H. Rios at (714) 738-6782 or via email at hrios@fullertonpd.org. 

Anonymous tips can be submitted through Orange County Crime Stoppers at (855) TIP-OCCS. 

The Source: This report is based on information from the Fullerton Police Department.

Crime and Public SafetyFullertonLa Habra