Her baby nearly drowned in a Tulare County river last summer. Now she’s been arrested
A woman was arrested Friday following an investigation into why her baby nearly drowned in Tulare County last summer.
The Tulare County Sheriff’s Office said Alejandra Hernandez’s baby slipped off a floating device June 26 and was swept down the St. John’s River, a distributary of the Kaweah River, in Woodlake.
The baby, then 7 months old, was taken to an area hospital and survived.
Detectives determined that Hernandez, “used poor judgment on that day by putting her infant into the river on a floating device, which would be typically used in a standard swimming pool.”
Last summer, the sheriff’s office initially said the baby fell out of a raft.
Detectives said Hernandez became uncooperative during the investigation. Detectives took a urine sample from her, which was sent to the Department of Justice. The results indicated she was under the influence of a controlled substance during the near-drowning, officials said.
The case was then submitted to the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office for review.
On Friday, detectives obtained an arrest warrant for child endangerment and being under the influence of a controlled substance. Hernandez was arrested at a Visalia business in the 8900 block of Goshen Avenue. Her bail was set at $50,000.
Anyone with information about the case is asked to call Detective Rick Morley at 559-733-6218. Tips can also be made anonymously by calling or texting 559-725-4194, or via email at tcso@tipnow.com.
