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Court docs: Mason mother was running late in child's car death

Posted at 11:54 AM, Aug 25, 2017
and last updated 2017-08-25 19:12:47-04

MASON, Ohio -- The Warren County mother whose child died in the back seat of their car after being left inside all day as the mother worked was running late that day, a detective wrote in court records.

A search warrant affidavit filed by Mason Police Department Detective Jeff Wyss states the mother left her 15-month-old daughter inside the car for about nine hours.

"Upon speaking with (the girl's mother), she advised that she was running late to work and usually drops (her daughter) off at daycare. It was also determined that (the girl's father), attempted to pick up (the girl) up at daycare and was advised she was not there, so he contacted his wife as she was leaving work," the affidavit states.

"A rear-facing child restraint seat was located in the back seat of the vehicle behind the driver," Wyss wrote.

WCPO is not naming the mother, father or the toddler because no one has been charged with a crime.

Dawn Gardner, an injury prevention specialist at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, said a child dies from being left in a car every 10 days in the U.S.

“Over half of the time, when a child dies from a heat stroke, it’s because the parents are thrown off their routine,” Gardner said.

Gardner said parents should put a reminder in their cell phone to make sure they’re not in the backseat.

She also suggested parents put an item, like a purse or a briefcase, in the backseat so they have to turn around to grab it.