“A tragic case of neglect in Indiana has left a 2-year-old girl dead, and her parents now face serious criminal charges. Police say the toddler was left overnight in a closet with a space heater, causing her body temperature to rise to a fatal 109°F.

Authorities were called to an apartment complex in Berne on November 27 for a death investigation. Berne Assistant Police Chief James Newbold described the heat difference upon entering the apartment and the closet where the child was found.

Inside the closet, investigators found a disturbing scene: trash, a soiled diaper, feces, and a heavily soiled crib mattress. The toddler’s body showed discoloration, with temperatures on her forehead, chest, and other areas reading around 109°F. The closet temperature reached 108.3°F, while the rest of the apartment was notably cooler.

The parents, 21-year-old Sintia Perez and 23-year-old Jace Hirschy, admitted to placing the child in the closet around 7 p.m. on November 26 with a space heater set nearly to maximum. Shockingly, they didn’t check on her for over 18 hours.

An autopsy confirmed the child’s death was caused by hyperthermia due to prolonged heat exposure.

Following the incident, the Indiana Department of Child Services removed the couple’s two other children, who were found to have lice and were living in extremely unhealthy conditions.

Perez and Hirschy are now facing one count of neglect resulting in death and two additional neglect charges related to their other children. Both remain in custody at the Adams County Jail after their first court appearance.”