A Collin County jury has sentenced Vanessa Esquivel to 25 years in state prison for the death of her 15-month-old child, who died after being left inside a vehicle in Frisco. The sentencing follows a murder conviction reached on June 18, according to court records.
Esquivel, 28, of Dallas, was arrested in August 2025 after the incident occurred. Police reports indicate that she arrived at her workplace located in the 3200 block of Preston Road around 2 p.m. on a day when temperatures reached at least 95 degrees. Authorities stated that she intentionally left the toddler in the car without air conditioning for approximately two hours.
The child died as a result of the exposure to the extreme heat. Frisco is about 9 miles west of Allen.
Esquivel entered a plea of not guilty during the legal proceedings. The jury ultimately found her guilty of murder. The specific circumstances leading to her decision to leave the child in the vehicle remain part of the court record, but the conviction and sentence have been finalized.
