Lucia Ayala, a 2-year-old girl from Ohio, tragically died of asphyxiation after the power seat of a 2026 Hyundai Palisade suddenly folded onto her.
The incident occurred while the father was shopping and the children were playing inside the vehicle. However, in a moment of distraction, the button that releases the seat was pressed, causing it to trap and crush the little girl without anyone being able to do anything about it.
Hyundai responded by suspending sales of the 2026 Palisades Limited and Calligraphy models, in addition to recalling about 70 thousand units.
The company also admitted that, in certain situations, the power seats might not adequately detect contact with an object or occupant. 😓