San Jose girl, 8, dies after living in cockroach-infested home as mother, stepfather face charges

An 8-year-old California girl died following a severe asthma attack after allegedly living for years in a filthy home infested with cockroaches, mold and pet feces, prompting felony child neglect charges against her mother and stepfather, prosecutors said.The Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office said this week that the girl's mother, Gabrielle Hanson, 32, and stepfather, Jacob Randolph, 39, knew about the dangerous conditions inside their San Jose home and had been repeatedly warned by medical professionals and social workers about the risks to their seven children.Despite the warnings, the couple allegedly waited eight hours before seeking medical help when their daughter, Aurora Williams, began experiencing serious medical distress in May."It was too late," prosecutors said in a news release announcing the charges.SOUTH CAROLINA MOM COULDN'T REMEMBER LAST TIME SHE FED 2 DAUGHTERS BEFORE THEY WERE FOUND DEAD: AFFIDAVITSGabrielle Hanson and Jacob Randolph face felony child neglect charges after prosecutors alleged that their 8-year-old daughter died following years of dangerous living conditions and inadequate medical care.(San José Police Department)In February 2025, more than a year before her death, Aurora was taken to an emergency room by a relative after experiencing asthma symptoms, wheezing and difficulty breathing, according to prosecutors.A bug fell from her shoe and a cockroach was seen crawling on her, prompting her to tell staff, "Oh yeah, bugs just crawl on me."Hospital staff also reported that Aurora smelled like cat urine, appeared seriously underweight and pale, and said she was hungry and had not eaten.On May 13, 2026, San Jose police and firefighters responded to the family's home for a medical emergency involving a child.CALIFORNIA COUPLE CHARGED WITH ABUSING 14 SURROGATE-BORN CHILDREN INSIDE $10M LOS ANGELES MANSIONJacob Randolph, 39, was charged with felony child neglect in connection with the death of his 8-year-old stepdaughter, acc...