Gabrielle Hanson, 32, and Jacob Randolph, 39, are facing felony child neglect charges after the death of Aurora, Hanson’s eight-year-old daughter and Randolph’s stepdaughter. The girl died after a severe asthma attack in the family’s San Jose, California, home, which officials described as infested with cockroaches and mold.
PEOPLE reported that the couple allegedly waited eight hours to call for emergency medical assistance after Aurora fell into serious medical distress on May 13. The Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office stated that the parents were aware of the dangerous living conditions, which included garbage and pet feces, and had been warned multiple times by social service and medical workers about the impact these conditions would have on their seven children.
The DA’s office said that in February 2025, a relative brought Aurora to the emergency room for asthma and difficulty breathing. Hospital staff saw a cockroach crawling on her, and when asked about it, the girl told them, “Oh yeah, bugs just crawl on me.” Staff also reported that she appeared seriously underweight and said she was hungry and hadn’t eaten.
The medical examiner ruled her death a homicide
On Sept. 1, the medical examiner determined that Aurora died from a lack of oxygen to the brain due to severe asthma with acute lung injury, alongside a rhinovirus or enterovirus infection, per PEOPLE. Officials concluded that medical neglect was a “significant factor in her death” and ruled the manner of death a homicide.
The outlet noted that during the investigation, authorities searched the residence and found that the girl’s medical equipment was not being properly maintained. Detectives discovered a dirty inhaler spacer that was missing a crucial rubber seal, and they also found a respiratory mask that contained cockroaches. The case adds to a string of recent child neglect prosecutions, including the case of a Utah toddler’s neglect death.
The investigation also led to charges against Gabrielle’s brother, Jonathan Hanson, 44, who was arraigned in the same hearing on two counts of molestation involving one of Aurora’s stepsiblings, per ABC 7. He also faces one count of possessing explicit videos of the same victim, who was between 11 and 15 years old at the time, according to the DA’s office. Gabrielle Hanson was charged with child endangerment for allegedly knowing about the molestation and doing nothing to stop it.
In an earlier interview with The Mercury News following the medical examiner’s ruling, Gabrielle described her daughter’s death as a tragedy that could have happened anywhere. She said she didn’t realize how serious the attack was because she had heard Aurora sound worse before, adding that “of course I would have taken her to the hospital that night.”
Rosen has expressed frustration with the local child welfare system and announced that his office would form a team to examine systemic issues, per ABC 7. He pointed out that 13 people and at least eight animals were living in the home. The other children in the residence, ranging from 2 months to 17 years old, have since been taken into protective custody by the Department of Family and Children’s Services.
Gabrielle Hanson and Randolph were released on supervised own recognizance following the arraignment, while Jonathan Hanson was held without bail. All three are scheduled to return to court on Nov. 20 and have not been convicted of any crime.
Published: Oct 15, 2026 03:00 pm