Michigan Toddler Dies After Getting Trapped in Truck; Mom Faces Charges

A Michigan woman faces serious charges following the tragic suffocation of her 18-month-old daughter in a parked truck after being left unattended.

Grand Rapids, MI – A Michigan mother has been arrested and charged in connection with the tragic death of her 18-month-old daughter, who suffocated after getting trapped between the driver's seat and door of a pickup truck, authorities said.

Angelica Linda Arechiga, 27, is facing charges of child abuse: leaving a child in a vehicle resulting in death for the October 2024 incident—the first time this charge has been used in Kent County, according to local reports.

The tragedy unfolded on October 9, when Arechiga left her daughter, Julieta Magdalena, and three other young children unattended in her truck while she went inside a grocery store near South Division Avenue and Hall Street to pick up lunch for her husband. Investigators say the toddler was left unrestrained for approximately 15 minutes when she became trapped, leading to asphyxiation.

Surveillance footage and witness accounts indicate that when Arechiga returned to her vehicle, she panicked and went to the store, desperately seeking help.

"She just came in screaming," a grocery store worker recalled. "We were confused at first, but when she managed to speak, she said, 'She got her head stuck... and she's not breathing.'"

First responders arrived to find Julieta with a faint pulse, but efforts to revive her were unsuccessful. Her official cause of death was listed as asphyxia by wedging, with the manner of death ruled accidental.

Following her arrest, Arechiga tearfully told reporters, "I just want people to know this was an accident. Yes, I could have done things differently. If I could go back in time, I would, but I can't."

Last week, she was arraigned in Grand Rapids District Court and released on a personal recognizance bond. Her next court appearance is scheduled for later this month.

An online obituary described Julieta as a "loving and sweet baby" who was incredibly smart and already practicing Spanish phrases. "She was a daddy's girl who loved watching and learning from the world around her," the tribute read.