MADERA - A fourteen year-old Madera South High student was found dead in the back of her brother's car Wednesday around 3:00 pm. Officers of the Madera Police Department were dispatched to the Madera Community Hospital regarding the death after the victim had been transported to the hospital by her brother.
Detective Robert Salas of the Madera Police Department said, "Preliminary investigation reveals that the female had accompanied her brother to school as they both attend Madera South. He had an early class and she stayed behind inside their vehicle as her class started an hour later. After school he went to his vehicle and discovered his sister in the back seat."
At this stage of the investigation it appears that heat may have played a role in the death of Graciela Martinez (14), but an underlying medical condition may be discovered once further medical examination is performed. An autopsy is scheduled for 5:00 pm this evening to determine the time and cause of death.
All day police have been monitoring the interior temperature of the vehicle where the girl's body was found. The vehcile, a BMW 300 series, has been stored in the parking lot behind the Madera Police Department's Headquarters since Wednesday night. Detectives are conducting the temperature checks hoping to gather information which might help to explain what happened, or at least narrow down a time of death.
While police say this is a suspicious death, there does not appear to be anything criminal in nature nor do police feel there is any evidence of foul-play or suicide.
Madera Unified School District has brought in grief counselor to help students deal with the sudden death of their classmates. Counselors were also sent to Martin Luther King Junior High School, where the young lady attended school last year.
The district has refused to answer our questions as to when the Madera South attendance office called the Martinez home to notify the girl's parents about her absence from school.
A source within the district office told BVN this morning that the attendance office failed to call the parents when they learned the victim was absent from school. It wasn't until eight hours after her brother left her and the body was found, that the school district contacted the victim's parents.
Head of campus security, Brett Moglia, refused to answer any questions regarding security footage of the vehicle and referred all questions to the district office.
“It really underscores the importance of being vigilant, to make sure people don’t stay in locked cars,” MUSD Superindentant Ed Gonzales told KMPH TV News, but he has not commented on our questions of if the schools attendance office or security was also vigilant in protecting one of their students?
