A toddler was left unattended in a hot car for an extended period of time, while her father went out for a drink. The child died and her father is charged with murder.
There are already horrible stories and testimonials from parents who left their children in the car. They have called other parents to never leave their children in the vehicle as children are subject to vehicular heatstroke. A short film, entitled "One Decision (Child Safety Film - Vehicular Heatstroke)" shows the harm it can do to children.
However, this call did not reach Wilbert Carter, 31, who left his 2-year-old daughter in a hot car while he had five drinks.
In a report from Washington Post, on Monday 5:15 p.m., Baltimore police received a call about an unconscious child inside a vehicle. The paramedics arrived in the area and took the girl, identified as Leasia Carter. They took the child to the hospital but she did not make it. Leasia was pronounced dead by 5:41 p.m., ABC 2 News reports.
The preliminary investigation revealed that the child was left in the car unattended for 16 hours. While Leasia was inside the vehicle, the temperature outside was 89 degrees Farenheit (32 degrees Celsius). Due to the heat, the child suffered second-degree burns. Carter was already held in jail and is charged with murder and child abuse.
According to the police, Carter told them in a charging document that he consumed five alcohol on Sunday. Around midnight a friend of Carter drove his car to Brendan Avenue.
Carter can no longer recall the incident. His family saw him come home Monday morning 7 a.m. When Carter woke up at about 4 p.m. on the same day, he looked for his daughter.
The family assumed that the toddler was with Carter's sister. When a cousin told Carter that his car was still on Brendan Avenue he went there and found his daughter still buckled in her car seat, Washington Post has learned.
Police revealed that Carter has a history of consuming too much alcohol to the point that he passes out. The authorities sent out messages on social media discouraging everyone from leaving pets, children or elderly unattended in the vehicles especially in the summer.
When left unattended inside the car one may suffer heatstroke, which can seriously injure or lead to death. In 2014, according to the data from the Department of Meteorology and Climate Sciece, 31 children died of heatstroke after being left unattended in their vehicles.
A study from San Jose revealed that half of about 630 children died from vehicular heatstroke over a 17-year period after their caregiver forgot that they were still in the car.
