An adorable boy was found dead in a car seat after he was left in the care of a woman who operated an unlicensed day care in North Carolina.
Mercedes Rodriguez, 59, was arrested on April 30 after a one-year-old boy named Jacob Machado Carlos was found blue and unresponsive in her care.
Authorities found Jacob in a car seat with the straps around the upper half of his body.
Jacob’s parents dropped him off with Rodriguez around 5:30 am. Another parent noticed the child needed medical attention around 9 am and called 911.
Rodriguez was arrested for operating a child care facility without a license and will face an additional homicide charge.
The child’s heartbroken parents had to bury their adorable child before attending Rodriguez’s court hearing.
‘My son Jacob was very friendly. He loves to run outside and play with his sibling,’ Jacob’s mother tearfully recalled in an interview with local Fox affiliate, WGHP.
His father added that he was ‘filled with love, and was a very happy kid.’
Jacob Machado Carlos died after his parents dropped him off at an unlicensed daycare at one year old
Mercedes Rodriguez, 59, was arrested and charged with operating an unlicensed daycare after the child’s death. She will also face an additional homicide charge
Jacob’s family said in an interview with local Fox affiliate, WGHP, that their son was a light and they wished Rodriguez has been given a higher bail
‘He got that from our family. Always went up to everyone with open arms. He did that to the rest of the world,’ his father said.
Jacob’s parents told WGHP that their other children are struggling to cope with their little brother’s death.
Another family member told the outlet, ‘We took him to her [Rodriguez]. We thought she was taking care of him like the mother she is, but we never thought she’d leave him … in the car seat all morning.’
The Guilford County District Attorney’s Office said that Rodriguez was caring for 13 children at the unlicensed day care center. Another child in her care was hospitalized on the same day as Jacob’s death.
Jacob’s parents dropped him off at around 5:30 am, and a 911 call was made around 9 am after another parent was concerned for the child
Police found Jacob unresponsive at the daycare, and another child was hospitalized
Jacob’s parents said they were disappointed that the judge didn’t raise Rodriguez’s bail
WGHP also reported that Rodriguez was investigated in 2019 after an alleged assault of a child.
Jacob’s parents wanted the judge to raise Rodriguez’s bail, fearing she was a flight risk since she was under a deportation order.
However, the judge declined to increase Rodriguez’s $10,000 bail until official homicide charges were filed.
Jacob’s family attended the hearing and told WGHP they were disappointed with the results.
DailyMail.com reached out to Guilford County Police for an update on the case but didn’t immediately hear back.
