On July 4, 2023, Joel and Jazmine Rondon attended a Fourth of July party in Lakeland, Florida, with their three youngest children, including 18-month-old Isabella Rondon. Both parents consumed alcohol and marijuana at the party, and the father also used methamphetamine. Returning home around 3 a.m. on July 5, the mother asked the father to bring Isabella inside while she tended to the older children. The father brought food inside but, upon seeing the car doors closed, assumed his wife had retrieved the toddler. Neither parent confirmed the child was inside the home, and both went to bed. Isabella remained strapped in her car seat in their Hyundai Elantra, parked in the driveway in full sun. Around 11 a.m., the father asked the older child to check on the baby and discovered she was missing; he found Isabella unresponsive in the car, where the heat index reached approximately 105 degrees. The child's cause of death was determined to be hyperthermia, and the manner of death was ruled a homicide. Both parents were arrested and charged with aggravated manslaughter of a child.
Contexts/Conditions
Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or overdose?
Is there any mention of a drowning incident (either intentional or accidental)?
Is there any mention of a firearm incident?
Is there any mention of inappropriate supervision (e.g., child wandered off and drowned)?
The child was left unattended in a car overnight due to a failure of supervision by both parents. The fatality report states: "there was confusion on who was getting the 1-year-old child out of the car." The mother told the father to get the child, but the father assumed the mother had gotten the child: "he saw the car door was closed and assumed the mother had brought the child inside." Neither parent checked on the child. The CBS News article confirms: "Neither parent asked the other if they had brought the girl inside." The mother also admitted the child "is usually quiet in the car they sometimes forget she is there."
Is there any mention of inflicted injury? (e.g. slapped, punched, kicked, choked)
Is there any mention of malnutrition, starvation, or dehydration?
Is there any mention of medical neglect?
Is there any mention of a motor vehicle crash or incident?
Is there any mention of a murder-suicide incident?
Is there any mention of outdoor elements (including hot car deaths)?
All documents describe this as a hot car death. The fatality report states: "the 1-year-old child passed away after being left in the family's vehicle overnight." The USA Today article reports: "An autopsy report determined the toddler's cause of death was hyperthermia caused by being left in the car." The CBS News article notes the "heat index was 105 degrees Fahrenheit" and the USA Today article states "Research shows us the heat of the car could have been anywhere between 130 to 170 degrees at that time."
Is there any mention of prenatal substance exposure (including fetal alcohol syndrome or neonatal abstinence syndrome)?
Is there any mention of sexual abuse?
Is there any specific mention of shaken baby or abusive head trauma?
Is there any mention of prolonged abuse or torture (including restraints, captivity)?
Is there any mention of an unsafe sleeping environment?
Individuals Involved
Was an adoptive parent or guardian involved in the death?
Was a biological father involved in the death?
The fatality report identifies Joel Rondon (33 years old) as the "Father" in the family composition chart. The mother asked Joel to bring the child inside, but he failed to do so. The USA Today article states: "Joel Rondon told deputies he brought items inside the house and when he went back outside, he saw all the vehicle's doors were closed. He assumed that his wife had gotten the toddler out and went to lie down." He was arrested and charged with aggravated manslaughter of a child.
Was a biological mother involved in the death?
The fatality report identifies Jazmine Rondon (33 years old) as the "Mother" in the family composition chart. She failed to verify the child had been brought inside and went to bed without checking. The CBS News article states: "Neither parent asked the other if they had brought the girl inside." She was arrested and charged with aggravated manslaughter of a child.
Was a day care worker, babysitter, or nanny involved in the death?
Was a female paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., girlfriend, stepmother)?
Was a foster parent involved in the death?
Was a male paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., boyfriend, stepfather)?
Was another adult relative involved in the death? (e.g., grandfather, aunt)
Was a sibling involved in the death?
Child Characteristics
Was the child adopted?
Was the child homeschooled (including "cyberschooling") or taken out of school?
Was the child in foster care at the time of the incident?
Was the child living with relatives at the time of the incident (but not parents)?
Is there any mention of a neurological developmental child disability? (e.g., autism, intellectual disability, nonverbal)
Is there any mention of a physical child disability? (e.g., feeding tube)
Is there any mention of prematurity or low birthweight?
Is there a history of child protection reports prior to death (for this child or siblings)?
Does the child have a history of foster care (but not in care at time of incident)?
Is there a history of a sibling death (separate incident from this death)?
Parent/Caregiver Factors
Was an adult charged or arrested for the child's death?
Both parents were arrested and charged. The CBS News article states: "Officers in Florida arrested a couple on charges of aggravated manslaughter of a child." The USA Today article confirms: "Joel and Jazmine Rondon, both 33, face one felony count of aggravated manslaughter of a child." The NY Post article states: "The pair were booked into the county jail Thursday."
Is domestic violence by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is there any mention that the death occurred in a temporary shelter or while homeless?
Is an intellectual disability of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is the mental health of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is a history of arrests or criminal charges for the parent/caregiver referenced?
The NY Post article states: "Joel has a lengthy rap sheet dating back to 2003, when he was 15 years old. His extensive criminal history includes charges ranging from criminal mischief and resisting arrest to aggravated assault and attempted murder. His most recent run-in with the law occurred in February 2023, when he was arrested on a warrant for carrying a concealed weapon, and possession of meth and drug paraphernalia." The CBS News article also notes: "Joel Rondon has a criminal history, with arrests dating back to when he was 15, authorities said." These all predate the child's death in July 2023.
Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Multiple sources confirm substance use by both parents. The CBS News article states: "Seventeen hours after they arrived home around 2 a.m. Wednesday, officials said Jazmine Rondon tested positive for alcohol and marijuana, and Joel Rondon tested positive for alcohol, marijuana and methamphetamine." Sheriff Judd is quoted: "This is pure negligence and I suggest to you the core of the negligence is the use of drugs." The NY Post states the parents "admitted to partying with drugs and booze."
Notable Details
Several notable details emerge from the sources. First, the USA Today article reports that advocacy group Kids and Car Safety noted that "It's rare for drugs or alcohol to be involved in cases of children who die after being left in hot cars" and that the group "advocates for laws requiring technology be standard in vehicles that would issue an alert if it detects anyone left in the back seat." Their founder stated: "An occupant detection and alert system could have gotten assistance to this sweet angel before it was too late." Second, the father Joel Rondon had an extensive prior criminal history including attempted murder charges and a February 2023 arrest for concealed weapon and meth possession, just months before the child's death. Third, drug testing of the parents was conducted more than 17 hours after the party, meaning intoxication levels at the time of the incident were likely significantly higher than what was detected. Fourth, the mother's statement in the fatality report that "the child is usually quiet in the car they sometimes forget she is there" suggests a pre-existing pattern of risk behavior. Fifth, this was the 10th hot car death in the US in 2023, with five occurring in Florida alone.
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