One woman from Hacienda Heights lived every mother‘s worst nightmare last Wednesday, January 25.

Maria Campos left her four-month-old Helina at a Baldwin Park daycare center that morning, not knowing her daughter would tragically pass away hours later. Now, the family is demanding answers, with Campos explaining: “I want to know what happened… there must be a reason.”

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The mother left Helina at their regular daycare center on Wednesday morning

The Los Angeles County mother explained to Univision that she left her baby daughter and 3-year-old son at a daycare center at 6 A.M. on Wednesday. As per the outlet, the Baldwin Park daycare is located at 3940 Sitchman Avenue.

Campos changed Helina’s diaper hours before, and made sure it was dry before dropping her off. She described how Helina slightly woke up, stretched, and went back to sleep. As she puts it, nothing was wrong with her healthy child. She says the baby was “alert” and normal days before.

By 10 A.M., Campos undoubtedly received the worst phone call of her life. A detective called her to inform her that her four-month-old daughter was rushed to the hospital.

A mother’s worst nightmare at the hospital

Campos remembered in tears how, upon arriving at the hospital, Helina’s “heart wasn’t beating” anymore. The mother described, “She was surrounded by doctors… They told me they couldn’t do anything, her heart had stopped beating an hour ago.”

She explained, “I talked to her, I hugged her, I told her to open her eyes, but she couldn’t open them anymore. She was already cold.”

According to the forensic reports, four-month-old Helina passed away in the hospital that day at 11:30 A.M.

The mother has countless questions — and demands answers. At the hospital, Campos recalls how she asked doctors what had happened to her daughter. But the doctors simply replied, “All we know is that she couldn’t breath anymore, and her heart stopped beating.”

At this point, the daycare center is “cooperating” with the investigation, while the family is still waiting on the autopsy report. While more information is forthcoming about the cause of death, Helina’s passing has left an undeniable hole in her loved ones’ hearts.

The family has set up a GoFundMe for burial and funeral costs

Campos explained that her three-year-old son already asks about his sister. She said he is “scared” and says his sister is “asleep” and sick. He is clearly still much too young to understand a tragedy of this proportion.

Meanwhile, Helina’s aunt Bibiana Campos said they will feel more “calm” once they have answers, even though the pain will never go away. Still, she set up a GoFundMe page to help the family with Helina’s burial and funeral expenses.

In the GoFundMe page, the baby’s aunt says she always “lit up the whole room with her smiles and laughs” and will be “terribly missed.”

While the family is still waiting on the autopsy, the case will become a criminal investigation if findings include trauma or negligence.