An 8-year-old girl in North Carolina has died after her mother left her in a hot car while she went to work. The woman, 36-year-old Ashley Stallings, now faces manslaughter and child abuse charges.
Stallings went to work on June 26, leaving her daughter in her car with the air conditioning on. However, when police arrived on the scene that afternoon, they found the young girl unconscious in the car and in medical emergency. She later died at the local hospital in Charlotte. The cause of death was brain herniation due to hyperthermia. Police arrested Stalling the next day.
According to her affidavit, which she received, abc newsStallings believed her daughter had turned off the air conditioning without knowing how to turn it back on. She returned to the car to check on the girl after she stopped responding to text messages, where the mother found the elementary school student foaming at the mouth.
After breaking into the car with a hammer, Stallings attempted to drive herself to the hospital, but decided to stop at a nearby hospital to get help.
The news agency also reported that temperatures rose to over 35 degrees at the time. The mother admitted to police that she noticed the heat that day.
“She admitted that she knew the temperature outside was 94 degrees and that she should not have left the victim alone in the car,” the affidavit states.
Stallings was working her shift at an Amazon facility during the incident. The e-commerce company released a statement in light of the tragic news.
“This is an incredibly tragic incident,” Amazon said, according to abc news“During this difficult time, we are supporting our employees and have provided comprehensive advice.
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department’s investigation is ongoing. Stallings is currently being held on $250,000 bail and is scheduled to appear in court on July 26.
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