Charlotte, North Carolina – An 8-year-old girl tragically lost her life in Charlotte due to being left in a vehicle during hot weather conditions. The girl’s mother, Ashlee Stallings, 36, has been charged with involuntary manslaughter and child abuse by willful act causing serious injury. Stallings is currently held on a $250,000 bond and is set for a court appearance on July 16.
Responding to a call on Wednesday, June 26, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department arrived to find the child in critical condition. Despite immediate medical attention, she was sadly pronounced dead at a local hospital. The Homicide Unit of the department launched an investigation, which uncovered that the victim had been left in the vehicle under scorching conditions.
Stallings, who works at an Amazon facility, allegedly left her daughter in the car with the air conditioning on, thinking the child had turned it off due to feeling cold. After an hour and a half, she returned to the vehicle only to discover the girl unresponsive and foaming at the mouth on the car’s floorboard. In a panicked state, Stallings broke the car window with a hammer and sought assistance from a nearby business.
Authorities are currently conducting an ongoing investigation and are urging anyone with information to come forward. Meanwhile, Amazon expressed its deepest condolences to the family, stating, “This is an incredibly tragic incident.” The company is working closely with law enforcement throughout the investigation and offering counseling resources to support their employees during this difficult time.
As the community mourns the loss of the young girl, this serves as a solemn reminder for parents and caregivers to take extra precautions in order to prevent hot car deaths.