San José Parents Charged with Felony Child Neglect After Daughter Dies from Severe Asthma Attack
The parents of an 8-year-old girl who died following an extended asthma attack in their San José home have been charged with felony child neglect, according to latimes.com. The girl, identified by authorities as Aurora, was transported to a hospital by ambulance and died four days later.
Medical Examiner Classifies Aurora’s Death as Homicide
The Santa Clara County Office of the Medical Examiner-Coroner classified Aurora’s death as a homicide last month. Chief Medical Examiner Michelle Jorden determined that the cause of death was a lack of oxygen to the brain resulting from severe asthma with an acute lung injury while the child was fighting cold-like symptoms. Prosecutors stated that medical neglect served as a significant factor in the death.
Investigators searching the residence on Lancelot Lane did not find Aurora’s prescribed inhaler. Instead, detectives located a dirty, poorly maintained inhaler spacer missing its rubber seal, alongside a respiratory mask containing cockroaches. Prosecutors noted that Hanson and Randolph had received repeated warnings from medical and social service personnel regarding the dangerous living conditions.
Squalid Home Conditions and Prior Child Welfare Contacts
Authorities reported that Aurora lived with six other children, ranging from 2 months to 17 years old, in an East San José house filled with garbage, mold, pet feces, and cockroach infestations. Following Aurora’s hospitalization, county social workers placed all seven children into protective custody. Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen stated that the county Department of Family and Children’s Services had known about the unsanitary conditions since at least 2019, pointing to prior documentation by social workers and San José police.
In February 2025, a relative brought Aurora to an emergency room for wheezing and breathing difficulties. Hospital staff observed insects crawling on the child, who smelled of cat urine, appeared severely underweight, and told personnel she was hungry and had not eaten.
Arraignments and Additional Charges for the Family
Gabrielle Hanson and Jacob Randolph were arraigned on Tuesday in Santa Clara County Superior Court and did not enter a plea. Over the objections of prosecutors, the court released both defendants under supervised own recognizance, meaning they did not have to post bail. Sean Webby, a spokesman for the district attorney’s office, confirmed that the defendants face a strict no-contact order prohibiting them from supervising any minors.
The investigation also resulted in charges against Aurora’s uncle, Jonathan Hanson, 44, who lived in the home. Prosecutors charged him with two counts of child molestation and one count of possessing explicit phone videos involving another child in the house. Gabrielle Hanson faces an additional charge of knowing about the molestation and failing to stop it. Jonathan Hanson remains in custody without bail.
Court Dates and Unanswered Questions
All three defendants are scheduled to appear at the Hall of Justice in San José on Nov. 20, 2026, for a plea hearing. District Attorney Jeff Rosen criticized the county’s child welfare agency during a news conference, demanding accountability and structural changes following multiple child deaths under county supervision. The Department of Family and Children’s Services did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding its handling of the prior welfare reports.