A little girl was meant to live a long, happy, and fulfilling life when she was adopted as a newborn baby by a loving couple. Sadly, a few months later, the family is grieving and a little boy is left without a sibling.
These adoptive parents looked forward to adding a new addition to their small family. They were thrilled when they welcomed a baby girl. Sadly, within months the child was gone due to unforeseen circumstances and a case is being investigated.
On June 13, 2024, a 911 call came from Santee, an East County neighborhood, in the early hours of the day. The San Diego Sheriff’s Department deputies responded. A two-month-old infant was discovered unresponsive at around 12:20 a.m. in an SUV parked outside her parents’ home.
Law enforcement revealed that the baby girl, Diana Sofia De Los Santos, was left for several hours in the hot car. Diana had been in the vehicle in 63F weather before a family member made the discovery and called 911.
NEW: Two-month-old baby girl dies after being left in a hot car for hours, just two months after being adopted by a local gay couple
Diana Sofia De Los Santos was found unresponsive in an SUV outside their home in Santee, San Diego, around 12;20 am on June 13
She had been left… pic.twitter.com/vWdxOW2Cfd
— Unlimited L's (@unlimited_ls) June 24, 2024
Deputies and paramedics provided emergency care before the child was rushed to Sharp Grossmont Hospital. The little girl was taken by first responders in an ambulance that came and left within minutes.
But, detectives confirmed that the little girl died at the hospital later. The sheriff’s Child Abuse Unit is investigating the infant’s death. On June 19, 2024, when the news broke, the child’s adoptive parents weren’t facing any charges.
The day before, a news publication talked to the late child’s father who refused the interview. The parent, who adopted the child as a newborn, was described as being “distraught.” Officials revealed that the county Medical Examiner’s Office will determine the cause and manner of death.
They asked people with any information to call the Sheriff’s Department non-emergency line at (858) 868-3200 or the sheriff’s child abuse unit at (858) 285-6222. The tragedy occurred days before the start of summer and pushed sheriff’s officials to give a staunch reminder.
A tiny baby girl died after being left in the back of a hot car just two months after her adoptive gay parents took her home as a newborn.
Diana Sofia De Los Santos was found unresponsive in the SUV outside her parents' home in Santee, a suburb of San Diego, at about 12:20 AM on… pic.twitter.com/mEhp8nI7z7
— Denn Dunham (@DennD68) June 24, 2024
They urged the public that it is illegal to leave a child alone in a car. The rule is applied even when the engine is running or the key is in the ignition. In a news release, they asked people not to leave their children alone in cars even if it’s for a second.
The authorities noted how summer routines shifted. This could cause parents to forget their quiet or sleeping children in the backseat. They encouraged parents to remember: “Once You Park, Stop, Look, Lock.”
Some other tips they gave included:
– Checking with a caregiver, partner, or spouse when there are changes in schedules.
– Requesting to be called by the childcare provider if your child doesn’t arrive for expected care.
– Putting a briefcase, work badge, purse, phone, or other personal items in the backseat to remind you to look there before locking the car.
– Writing a note or putting a stuffed animal in the passenger’s seat to remind you of your child in the backseat.
– Teaching children that cars aren’t play areas.
– Remember to lock car doors and keep the keys or fobs out of children’s reach to stop them from getting trapped inside vehicles.
In November 2023, Romer and Jayson De Los Santos posted a link to an adoption website profile via social media. In it, they said they wished to welcome a second child. The couple said at the time that their home and hearts were open to giving more love to “another amazing child.”
The De Los Santos’ even shared everything they wished their children would experience under their care. These included wanting their children to grow up with memories of building sandcastles, playing on the beach, and biking to the park. They also wished for them to make friends, learn how to raise foster kittens and go on Hawaiian cruises.
Jayson has been a stay-at-home father since the couple adopted their son. Romer serves as a senior consultant at Jama Software. The couple has been together for over two decades. The pair married in 2008 when same-sex marriage was legal in California.
Proposition 8 banned same-sex marriage until 2013. Jayson and Romer’s adoption profile said they promised to “raise healthy, responsible, and most importantly, kind adults.” The duo’s home is a three-bedroom house with lots of animals.
The couple has two dogs, chickens, three cats, fish, parakeets, and other foster animals. Romer described himself as a gardener. He grew bonsai trees, vegetables, fruit, and flowers in the backyard. Jayson takes care of the animals and collects eggs laid by the chickens.
The pair revealed that their house was “very popular” with neighbors and their children. The home was allegedly described as being like a petting zoo. The De Los Santos’ noted how excited everyone was to meet their future child.
They sold their pitch, saying their new baby would have “ready-made best friends” in the form of the boys who live next door. The trio, aged below two, often played with the couple’s son. The parents felt their son would treasure his younger sibling.
The new child would thrive having him because he was loving and played gently with his friends. The duo also said the child’s biological parents would be allowed to visit and see as many pictures as they wanted.
The couple, who come from large families, believed they weren’t only adopting a child but opening themselves to a new family. The De Los Santos’ got their wishes fulfilled when they took their little girl home on April 11, 2024.
They’d flown to Arizona to a hospital where they met Diana for the first time. The couple celebrated the adoption by posting images of them cradling their baby girl. They also showed themselves introducing Diana to their adopted two-year-old son.
People also saw the infant sleeping in a crib at her new home. Romer captioned one of the photos noting how he hadn’t “slept in days.” A neighbor spoke to a publication anonymously about that fateful night. The person even provided footage taken by their Ring doorbell camera.
The clip showed several first responders and police officers arriving at the Settle Road home. Ambulances also arrived with the neighbor stating, “I can’t fathom leaving a kid in a car.” The neighbor shared how each year was the same, with them seeing a child lose their life.
Reports showed that the temperature inside a car can rise to 104F in half an hour on a 70F day. It could reach 115F in an hour, and the body’s organs start shutting down at 107F. No Heat Stroke’s Jan Null from the San Jose State University Adjunct Professor of Meteorology gave some statistics on such deaths.
Null revealed that around 37 children die yearly across the US from being left inside hot cars. This included at least 56 in California since 1998. Florida and Texas had the most deaths, 142 and 110 respectively. The hot South and Southwest had the most per capita.
Children’s body temperatures go up three to five times faster than adults because they can’t regulate their temperature as efficiently. Car temperatures can reach 140F in an hour on a 95F day. Opening a car window only reduces the temperature by about 3F.
The law in California imposes a $100 fine on anyone who leaves a child under six in a car “where there are conditions that present a significant risk to the child’s health or safety.” Authorities could also charge the guilty party with manslaughter or neglect depending on how much harm the child experiences.
But parents who mistakenly leave their children in cars are not charged. The pain of losing a child is considered punishment enough. Yet, some prosecutors still charge them with manslaughter, and many have served jail time.
Speaking to a different publication, a neighbor revealed that the De Los Santos’ appeared to be good parents. They often played outside with their children. The unidentified neighbor described the couple as a “nice family” who seemed to want to give some children a good life. The person added, “It’s just a shame it didn’t turn out that way.”
In a different and much more uplifting story, a four-year-old adopted girl had her “first birthday party ever” after spending years struggling. After being in the foster system for three years, the child had never had a party to celebrate getting older.
4-Year-Old Adopted Girl Has Her ‘First Birthday Party Ever’ after Years of Struggle — Her Reaction Leaves People in Tears
After her adoptive mother and father took her in, the little girl, Genesis, had her very first celebration which was captured on video and posted on TikTok. The event was attended by many people including the girl’s daycare teachers.
The clip had many people in tears as the child showed her appreciation for the event in a touching way. She cried the whole time on the footage, but not in sadness. The child’s mother revealed that her adoptive girl cried due to the overwhelming happiness she felt.
The little girl even uttered her gratitude in the most loving and heartfelt way. Judging by the event, her life has since changed from the neglect and instability she’d grown up with. Here’s to wishing her many more joyous years!
