CHARLOTTE, NC – A tragic incident occurred in Charlotte, North Carolina, where a mother faces involuntary manslaughter and child abuse charges following the death of her 8-year-old daughter, who was left in a hot vehicle.
On the evening of June 26, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police found the child unresponsive when responding to an emergency call. Efforts to save the girl failed, and she was declared dead at a local hospital. An ensuing investigation by the police department’s Homicide Unit concluded that the young girl was left alone inside a vehicle under sweltering conditions, resulting in a fatal medical crisis.
The 36-year-old mother, Ashlee Stallings, was apprehended and subsequently detained by the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office. Officials confirmed that the inquiry into this heart-wrenching case remains active, and law enforcement is seeking further information from the public.
Reporting on weather conditions on the tragic day suggests that the temperature in Charlotte soared into the high 90s. Stallings initially claimed to authorities that she had left her daughter inside the car with the air conditioning running because she had to work and the child was feeling cold. Police documents revealed that after approximately 90 minutes since her last communication with her daughter, Stallings found the child in the car’s backseat floorboard, unresponsive, with foam at her mouth.
Making a frantic attempt to rush her daughter to the hospital, Stallings broke the vehicle’s window with a hammer. She stopped at a nearby business to call for help after realizing the severity of the situation and ultimately admitting that leaving her child in the car alone was a grievously wrong decision.
Medical staff at the hospital diagnosed the cause of the child’s death as brain herniation due to severe hyperthermia. Stallings is currently held on a bond of $250,000 and is scheduled for a court appearance on July 16. Details regarding legal representation for Stallings have not been disclosed.
This incident draws attention to the broader issue of hot car fatalities. The nonprofit organization Kids and Car Safety reported that this heartbreaking event is the fifth hot car death in the year and the first in North Carolina for 2024. The other four victims this year, ranging from 2 months to 6 years old, lost their lives under similar circumstances across various states, including California, West Virginia, South Carolina, and Florida.
As the situation unfolds, Amazon, where Stallings was reportedly employed, disclosed that they are cooperating with authorities and have extended counseling services to employees affected by this disturbing event.
