A paralyzed woman tragically lost her life after she was trapped in a car during a record-breaking heatwave.
Megan Oxley, a 36-year-old woman from Missouri, was in the company of her two nieces, journeying from Kenneth, Missouri, heading south on Highway 412 on Friday night when her black caravan suddenly broke down, as reported by the New York Post.
As the hours passed without any word from Oxley or the children, her sister, Amber Jones, took the initiative to contact the Dunklin County Sheriff’s Department.
Concerned and anxious, Amber told KAIT News: I just assumed that maybe she stayed with someone or maybe someone had come and got her, but no one was able to get a hold of her... And the next morning, we were pretty panicked, we called the cops and got them involved."
Despite the unfortunate situation, the sheriff's department managed to trace a signal from Oxley's phone near County Road 522, even though her phone had already died by then.
Upon arriving at the scene, officials discovered small footprints outside the black caravan, indicating that the children had managed to exit the vehicle at some point.
Thankfully, the two youngsters were found safe and were taken to a local hospital due to heat exhaustion concerns.
Tragically, Oxley was found deceased in the driver's seat.
It was later revealed that the two nieces had attempted to assist her in getting out of the car. Unfortunately, their efforts were in vain due to Oxley's paralysis and the young age of the children.
Sheriff Bob Holder acknowledged the unfortunate reality that the children were too young to fully comprehend the peril their aunt was facing, especially with temperatures soaring above 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
As the nieces recover and heal, their mothers have expressed their relief. Oxley's sister, Melissa, expressed her gratitude, stating: "I am so thankful, I am so happy she is alive... I was terrified, very terrified."
Despite the relief that her child is alive, Oxley's sister is still understandably grieving the loss of a loved one.
"She was happy when I saw her last, she was smiling and talking to me... She was just so full of life," she said."
Jones conveyed her sorrow in a heartfelt message, as she noted that this tragedy came not long after she lost her brother, Billy. "Why do I have to live in a world where my siblings don't? Why did they have to leave me so soon?" she penned.
She continued: "Megan Oxley, we always promised we would be sisters and best friends... Life got in the way sometimes, but I never pictured my world without you. Even though you always made fun of my freckles and teased me for being younger, you were the big sister who I could always count on. I'll love you forever."
Our thoughts are with Oxley's family and friends during this difficult time.