MUSD Superintendent Refuses to Answer Attendance Policy Failure Questions
MADERA - The preliminary autopsy results for Graciela Martinez, fourteen year old freshman that died at Madera South High School Wednesday, indicate that the minor most likely died from environmental hyperthermia known commonly as heat stroke. Final determination can not be made until lab results are received and examined.
Further investigation revealed the 1997 BMW 3 Series, that the minor had been found in, may have a problem that prevents the cars doors from being opened from the interior once the vehicle is locked with a key. The vehicle’s door locks also appeared to be defectived.
A search of the Internet found many BLOGS with several reports of problems with the lock's left and right activators. What makes this death even more tragic is this problem could have been fixed with the replacement of the $25 activator and a possible blown fuse. The horn to the vehicle was found to be inoperable when the ignition was in the off position.
Madera Police have been examining the vehicle and testing to see how high the BMW's interior temperature may have been. She was found Wednesday afternoon by her brother Oscar and sister Patricia, drenched in sweat and unresponsive. Her siblings drove her to Madera Community Hospital where the 14 year old was pronounced dead.
According the Madera Police Detective Sergeant Robert Salas the teen had no prior medical problems and was healthy the day she went to school. There was no signs of struggle or broken windows. Graciela had no food, or water in the car with her nor a cell phone. It appears as if the petite teen just waited for a rescuer that never came.
Madera Unified School District Superintendent Ed Gonzales has not been very forth-coming with answers of why the young lady went undiscovered in the school's student parking lot for over 8-hours. Many schools in the Madera district will call parents of absent students within the first two hours of school. The attendance office at Madera South failed to do so in this case. Many user comments on Facebook wonder had that call been made, would this tragedy ever happened?
While Gonzalez has refused to answer our questions about the attendance office, school security patrols or surveillance video of the parking lot, he did send out a district-wide Connect-Ed recorded phone call to the community informing them of the death and reminding parents of the dangers of locking someone in a car during hot weather. A comment he also made on a KMPH-TV news report.
Donations for Graciela Martinez family to help with funeral and legal expenses can be made to Wells Fargo Bank, account: 9343817004.