8-year-old-girl dies after being found foaming at the mouth by her mother, who left her in a car during hot weather while at work
Charlotte, N.C. – An 8-year-old girl lost her life after being left unattended in a scorching vehicle while her mother was at work. The child’s mother, identified as 36-year-old Ashlee, has been arrested and charged with involuntary manslaughter and child abuse resulting in serious injury due to the negligent act.
The tragedy unfolded on Wednesday. First responders rushed in response to a distress call shortly before 6:30 p.m. and upon arrival at the scene, they discovered the young girl in critical condition. Despite immediate efforts to save her, she was pronounced dead at the hospital. Authorities report that the temperature reached a high of 94 degrees that day, creating deadly conditions inside the vehicle. The local emergency services noted that they received 11 heat-related calls on the same day the young girl died.
The police initially withheld information regarding the specifics of how long Ashlee left her daughter alone and the circumstances in which she discovered her daughter’s critical condition. However, authorities later provided details. According to police, Ashlee left her daughter in the vehicle with the air conditioning on but about an hour later she found her unresponsive on the car’s floorboard. Ashlee then used a hammer to break the window and noticed the girl was taking shallow breaths and foaming at the mouth. The mother attempted to rush the child to a hospital but stopped for help along the way. Medical staff at the hospital determined the girl suffered brain herniation due to hyperthermia.
Ashlee also told authorities she thinks her 8-year-old daughter turned the air conditioning off because she was cold. She also admitted knowing it was unsafe to leave her daughter alone in the car in such high temperatures, that reportedly reached 94 degrees that fatal day. Following her arrest, Ashlee was placed in custody with a bond set at $250,000. The legal proceedings are ongoing.
This incident marks the fifth death of a child in a hot car in the current year, underscoring a persistent national issue. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, approximately 40 children in the United States die annually from heatstroke in vehicles.
