A woman in York County, Virginia, has been arrested following the deaths of an 11-month-old baby girl and a dog, both of whom were left unattended in a hot car for around six hours.
As reported by PEOPLE, 40-year-old Kristen D. Graham is now facing charges of felony child neglect and animal cruelty, as confirmed by the York-Poquoson Sheriff’s Office. The office issued a statement on Tuesday after the shocking event unfolded, further putting the spotlight on the horrors of child neglect and the urgency of responsible caretaking.
The story first broke during a Facebook news conference held by Sheriff Ron Montgomery. According to the sheriff, Graham was supposed to be watching the 11-month-old girl, Myrical Wicker, on behalf of Myrical's 17-year-old mother, Arianna Wicker.
Both Graham and the baby lived in a residence in Seaford, along with an unnamed man in his 80s and the deceased dog.
Watch Sheriff Ron Montgomery address the press below:"It's senseless that something like this happens," Montgomery expressed, detailing how the man brought Myrical to the emergency room around 4:00PM local time on Tuesday. Medical staff found the child's lifeless body inside a black trash bag in the hatch of the vehicle, which was parked right at the ER entrance.
According to Montgomery, the heat index on the day reached at least 100 degrees. Graham had been in charge of Myrical for two days and had also taken the child and dog to a friend’s house around 1:00AM to deliver "cigarettes and a bottle of apple juice" purchased from a gas station.
Upon returning home around 8:00AM, Graham "rolled up the car windows," turned off the ignition, and left both the child and the dog in the car. She then went inside and fell asleep.
Graham was awakened by a phone call between 2:00PM and 2:30PM, only to find Myrical deceased.
She initially claimed to the sheriff’s office that she had stayed in the car with the child and the dog, a statement later refuted by the police investigation. "We are awaiting results from the Medical Examiner’s Office as to the cause of death," said a statement from the York-Poquoson Sheriff's Office, indicating that the investigation is still ongoing.
In a heart-wrenching social media post, Frances Spires, Myrical's grandmother, expressed her grief. “My beautiful grand baby Myrical,..sorry I didn't get to be in your life more...still can not believe you're gone...REST IN PARADISE BABYGIRL!!!!"
Spires further mentioned on a GoFundMe page that Arianna was “a first-time mom” who is “at a loss for words” over the untimely and tragic death of her daughter.
Our thoughts are with everybody affected by this tragedy.
