In a grim incident in Florida, a 2-year-old girl tragically lost her life after being left in a car for approximately 15 hours amidst temperatures around 80 degrees, according to local law enforcement.
When discovered, the toddler’s body temperature had dangerously soared to 107 degrees, reports the Holmes County Sheriff’s Office.
Remarkably, the couple’s second child, a 4-year-old, was also abandoned in the car but managed to extricate himself. The child is now under the protective custody of child services.
In a state of panic, the mother placed a 911 call. Sheriff John Tate divulged details of the call during a press briefing regarding the parents’ subsequent arrest. He shared that her distress and screams were so profound that it was difficult for the dispatcher to glean vital information,
Upon arrival, deputies were met by an individual clutching the unresponsive toddler. Sheriff Tate noted the immediate initiation of life-saving measures, including CPR, by the deputies, which sadly proved insufficient in reviving the child.
Initially, the mother, Kathreen Adams, 23, informed the police that she discovered her toddler unresponsive within their home. However, she later conceded that she had inadvertently forgotten her sleeping children in the car.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, the children were trapped inside the vehicle from midnight until roughly 3 p.m. on Tuesday. Attempts to interview the father, Christopher McLean, 32, were met with resistance.
During a search of the parents’ residence and vehicle, authorities allegedly uncovered multiple packages of methamphetamine, marijuana, and associated drug paraphernalia.
Both Adams and McLean were taken into custody on several charges related to child neglect and drug possession. The Sheriff’s Office expects to levy additional charges following the child’s autopsy.