CHARLOTTE, N.C. — An 8-year-old girl died after being found in a hot car in west Charlotte on Wednesday, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police said.
CMPD officers responded to a call to assist Medic on Wilkinson Boulevard around 6:30 p.m. When officers arrived, they found an 8-year-old girl in critical condition inside the car. She was taken to the hospital where she was pronounced dead.
The child's mother, 36-year-old Ashlee Stallings, was arrested and charged with involuntary manslaughter and child abuse by willful act causing serious injury. She is currently being held in the Mecklenburg County jail. Court records show Stallings was given a $250,000 bond on Thursday.
Stallings worked at a nearby Amazon facility, which the company confirmed to WCNC Charlotte when reached out for comment. A spokesperson offered the following statement:
This is an incredibly tragic incident - during this difficult time, we're supporting our employees and have made counseling resources widely available. We're also working closely with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department as they investigate.
An affidavit for Stallings' arrest warrant revealed more information when reviewed by WCNC Charlotte. The affidavit claims Stallings admitted to CMPD that she had left her daughter in the car while at work and had left it running with the air conditioning on. However, she believed her daughter may have gotten cold and turned it off. She also admitted she knew the temperature was 94 degrees and that her daughter shouldn't have been in the car.
Wednesday was the hottest day of the year in Charlotte with an afternoon high temperature of 99 degrees. The heat index made it feel over 100 degrees at one point, according to the WCNC Charlotte Weather team.
The inside of a car can reach 124 degrees in only 30 minutes when it's 90 degrees outside, the National Weather Service says. The body's core temperature is typically about 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. Scientists say that's only 7 degrees away from catastrophe in the form of heatstroke.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call Charlotte Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600.
Data from the National Safety Council shows more than half of kids left in cars are forgotten, 25% of kids die after getting into cars without their parents knowing and 20% are left in the car on purpose.
With more hot and humid temperatures ahead, experts say to always stop and look before you leave your car.
If your loved one was impacted by this incident, WCNC Charlotte hopes to make this process less painful with our More Than A Number initiative. With your help, we want to share who your loved one was with our viewers in North Carolina and South Carolina. When you're ready, fill out the form below or send us photos, memories and other details about them to desk@wcnc.com.
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