This browser does not support the Video element.
3-year-old girl dies in hot car
Ily Ruiz and her mother were both found unconscious inside a hot car. The three-year-old ended up dying in the incident while her mother faces a felony child abuse charge.
LOS ANGELES - "She was my princess."
Juan Marcus Ruiz is grieving the tragic loss of his 3-year-old daughter Ily Elizabeth Ruiz.
On Friday, the little girl died from heat stroke after being locked inside a Ford Expedition in Anaheim, where temperatures soared to 104°F.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: OC mother charged after toddler died in locked car had blood-alcohol level nearly 4 times legal limit
Doctors reported that Ily had to have been dead for several hours when she was found in the vehicle, according to prosecutors.
Her mother, Sandra Hernandez, was also found inside the vehicle asleep. Police discovered several bottles of alcohol in the vehicle.
The woman's blood-alcohol level was .30, nearly four times the legal limit for driving, prosecutors alleged.
Juan was separated from Sandra, the girl's mother, but he knew she was struggling with depression and needed help.
"I told everybody, like I said, 'I don't feel safe. I don't feel comfortable knowing that she's taking care of my kids when she needs help.' Nobody listened to me," he said.
Juan says Sandra never truly recovered from losing their two boys back in 2012.
They were killed by a drunk driver while the family was camping in North Dakota.
"We're sleeping in a tent. Drunk driver just ran over us. Killed my boys instantly," Juan recalled.
Now 12 years later, this family loses yet another child. This time, Ily Elizabeth.
This browser does not support the Video element.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: 3-year-old girl found dead in hot car
A mom is facing manslaughter charges after her 3-year-old daughter was found dead inside a hot car in Orange County.
Juan says he's a religious man, and he keeps asking God why.
"I don't know why this is happening now. And he's not answering back. I'm angry there too."
Sandra was arrested and charged with suspicion of involuntary manslaughter and felony child neglect.
Juan says he had to quit his job in Texas and plans to move to California to care for his only surviving son.
"He's only five. I don't even know how he's going to understand this, how he's going to process this," he said.
Juan says that he did this interview to encourage people to understand that depression is serious, and he urges people to help those who are struggling.
A GoFundMe account has been set up to help the family.
This browser does not support the GoFundMe element.
If you or someone you know needs support now, call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.