A 4-year-old Arizona girl drowned in a bathtub while her father stepped outside to grab nicotine pouches — a tragedy that newly released government records say could have been prevented.
Tammy Hernandez died on March 16, 2024, at her Tucson home. Her father, Nathan Peru, 31, had just promised to take her to McDonald’s for breakfast. Tammy wanted to take a bath first. Peru says he left her alone for about five minutes.
He never made it to McDonald’s.
“The Department determined Tammy Hernandez died as a result of physical abuse and neglect while in the care of her father,” the Arizona Department of Child Safety said in a fatality report released May 13.
A medical examiner found signs of a possible drowning, blunt force injuries, and a severe stomach ulcer. Peru told investigators he heard a “thump” while outside and assumed his dog had knocked something over. When he went back inside, he found Tammy face down in the tub.
DCS records show Peru had at least six abuse or neglect reports filed against him between 2012 and 2021 — involving other children. In Tammy’s case alone, there were at least three prior substantiated reports against him.
Despite this history, DCS returned Tammy to Peru’s care in November 2023 — just months before her death.
“They tell me it’s his right. She has the right to visit her dad,” said Myriam Cisneros, Tammy’s adoptive mother. “You only ask so many questions because it’s your loved one.”
Cisneros said Tammy did not want to go back to her father and that DCS dismissed her concerns. “They thought I was overexaggerating,” she said.
Peru was indicted on charges of child abuse and sexual abuse but never stood trial. In October 2025, he was shot and killed after attacking a corrections officer at a local hospital. DCS did not respond to requests for comment.
The case has reignited questions about child welfare oversight in Arizona — and whether warning signs were ignored at every step.
