A 2-year-old girl in Ohio lost her life in a freak accident when a power seat in a Hyundai SUV unexpectedly folded down, pinning her and causing suffocation.
According to authorities, the victim, Lucia Ayala, died from mechanical asphyxia while inside a 2026 Hyundai Palisade with her mother and siblings at a parking lot in Akron.
At the time of the incident, the father had left the vehicle to go shopping, while the children remained inside playing. During this time, the seat control button was activated, causing the seat to suddenly fold down and trap the young girl underneath.
Police stated it remains unclear exactly how the button was pressed, but the seat-folding mechanism failed to detect the obstruction as it was designed to do.
Body camera footage from first responders captured the rescue efforts as family members and emergency personnel tried in vain to lift the seat.
The child was rushed to the hospital but did not survive. The Summit County Medical Examiner’s Office determined the cause of death was asphyxia due to external force, ruling it an accident.
Following the incident, Hyundai announced a sales halt for the Limited and Calligraphy trims of the 2026 Palisade and recalled approximately 70,000 vehicles across the U.S. and Canada.
The automaker stated that in certain situations, the seat system may fail to properly detect a person or an object, creating a hazard.
Hyundai expressed its condolences to the victim's family and noted that the incident is still under investigation.
