A tragedy occurred in Prosperity, Florida, on Tuesday, May 16, 2023. A 2-year-old girl was pronounced dead at her family home. When police investigated the situation further, it became clear to them that her parents were to blame.
Kathreen Adams and Christopher McLean have been accused of leaving their 2-year-old daughter in the car overnight, causing her death. They apparently did not realize their mistake until 14 hours later. Now the couple face charges of child neglect, possession of methamphetamine, and possession of drug paraphernalia. It is believed that additional charges will be brought against them.
On that fateful day, a 911 call was made at around 3:43 p.m. The caller — later identified as the child's mother — was so upset that the dispatcher could not understand her. When police arrived at the scene, someone was cradling the unconscious toddler, who was declared dead after lifesaving measures were attempted. Adams lied to the police and claimed her daughter died in the home.
The toddler's internal temperature of 107 degrees told a different story. Holmes County Sheriff John Tate spoke about this case with Today.com.
“We knew something wasn’t adding up,” he recalled.
More from LittleThings: 4-Year-Old Boy Calls 911 After Being Left In A Hot Car, Saves Himself And 6 Other Children
Police soon discovered that Adams and McLean had picked up their children at around midnight on Tuesday after Adams got off work. The 2-year-old fell asleep in the car and they decided to leave her there, which ultimately led to her death. The family forgot about her until the following afternoon. Drugs were also found in the home. Their other child, a 4-year-old, is now in the custody of the state of Florida.
To learn more about the dangers of leaving a child in a hot car, watch this video.
