A North Carolina mother is facing manslaughter charges after police said she left her 8-year-old daughter locked inside her car during last week’s heatwave, resulting in the child’s death.
Ashlee Stallings, 36, is being held at the Mecklenburg Detention Facility on a $250,000 bond on charges of involuntary manslaughter and child neglect. According to police, Stallings left her daughter locked inside the car in blistering heat while she was at work at her Amazon job on Wednesday.
Police records reviewed by WCNC-TV News reveal that Stallings admitted to leaving her daughter in the car while the outside temperature was 94 degrees. She allegedly told police she left the car running with the air conditioning on but suspected her daughter may have turned it off because she was cold.
Stallings returned to the car about 90 minutes after last receiving a text from her daughter and found her lying motionless on the floor of the vehicle. She smashed the window with a hammer to reach her. The girl, whose name was not released, was taking shallow breaths and foaming at the mouth.
Police were called to the scene shortly before 6:30 p.m. and found the girl unresponsive. She was rushed to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead, and Stallings was subsequently arrested.
“This is an incredibly tragic incident,” an Amazon spokesperson said in a statement to WCNC. “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.”
Wednesday was reportedly the hottest day of the year, with temperatures reaching a high of 99 degrees. Stallings is due back in court on July 16.