Girl, 3, dies after being found in hot car while mum 'slept off hangover'
A three-year-old girl was found unconscious in a hot car over the weekend and later died, while her mother reportedly slept after a big night of partying.
Tianna Jones from Arizona was arrested on Sunday (local time), after she contacted the police to report her daughter Delilah as missing.
While police were searching the area, the 23-year-old mother realised her car keys were missing, authorities then checked her car to find Delilah there, unresponsive.
Delilah was transported to hospital where she was pronounced dead.
According to Arizona Republic, Jones had fallen asleep on Sunday, during the day after using drugs and partying on the Saturday night, and Jones told authorities her daughter had escaped multiple times due to a faulty latch on the front door.
The local publication also reported Delilah is seen on surveillance footage walking from the apartment to the car, and then Jones is seen coming out to look for her daughter four hours later.
Previously, Jones lost custody of her daughter due to neglect.
Police booked Jones in Maricopa County Jail on one count of child abuse and Delilah’s cause of death will be determined by the Office of the Medical Examiner.
On Sunday, it was 39 degrees Celsius in Arizona. Metro UK reported an expert saying within an hour of Delilah climbing into the car, the inside would have climbed to 70 degrees.
with Associated Press.
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