The Holmes County Sheriff claimed that Kathreen Adams and Christopher McLean left their sleeping kid in the car overnight, and they now face multiple charges.
Authorities claim that a 2-year-old Florida girl who was intentionally left in a hot car by her parents died after falling asleep in her car seat.
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| Sheriff John Tate speaks during a news conference in Holmes County |
Kathreen Adams, 23, and Christopher McLean, 32, the girl's parents, were detained and accused with neglecting their child, possessing methamphetamine, and possessing drug paraphernalia. At a news conference on Wednesday, Holmes County Sheriff John Tate stated that additional charges are anticipated.
Tuesday at 3:43 pm, deputies were rushed to a home in the Prosperity neighbourhood of the Florida Panhandle after a frightened woman dialled 911. Sheriff Tate claimed that the woman was yelling and the 911 operator was unable to gain any information from her. At the residence, a person carrying an unresponsive 2-year-old was waiting for the responding constable.
The constable started performing CPR right away until the emergency services arrived and took over, but the youngster was declared dead not long after.
Adams first informed the deputies that she discovered her daughter unconscious inside the house. The child's temperature was 107 degrees, according to the sheriff, "so we knew something wasn't adding up."
Authorities discovered throughout the inquiry that the infant had been left in the car for approximately 14 hours. When questioned by deputies, Adams admitted that she had left her job at around midnight and gone to a relative's home to pick up the 2-year-old and the girl's 4-year-old sibling.
The children, Adams, and McLean then took a car home, according to the sheriff.
The infant was dozing off in the car seat. They made the decision to leave the infant in the car, went inside, eventually passed out, and did not awaken or become aware that the youngster was in the car until around 3:41 that afternoon, according to him.
Adams, according to the sheriff, "purposely, through her own statement, purposely left the child in the car throughout the night."
According to the sheriff, McLean was recalcitrant and asserted his rights, saying that he "did not wish to give us a statement or talk to us at that time."
There are some inconsistencies, according to Sheriff Tate, between the time the couple really discovered the girl and the time 911 was dialled. Adams added that the 4-year-old exited the vehicle and entered the residence.
"We lack any proof as to whether he was in the house or the car. The 4-year-old's mystery is still being investigated, the sheriff said.
Methamphetamine, marijuana, CBD candies, and drug paraphernalia were discovered during a search of the couple's residence, the sheriff told reporters. McLean and Adams admitted to smoking marijuana after entering the house, according to Adams.
"Don't do drugs," the sheriff advised the community when asked if he had a message for them. Methamphetamine and other narcotics, in my honest opinion, are to blame for this fatality.
"This is what happens when you do drugs; you lose awareness of reality and stuff like this occurs. We probably wouldn't be here today if they weren't doing drugs, he remarked.
The Department of Children and Families has been given custody of the 4-year-old youngster.