A baby died Wednesday after she was left in a van for almost five hours outside a Florida day care, authorities said, and the director of the day care has been arrested.
Baby Brooklyn was discovered in a van at Ewing’s Love & Hope Preschool and Academy in Jacksonville.
The director and co-owner of the day care, Darryl Ewing, was arrested Wednesday night on a child neglect charge, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. He was also the driver of the van.
According to WTLV in Jacksonville, the Florida Department of Children and Families stated that the day care’s license was temporarily suspended Wednesday because it had not notified the state that it was transporting children.
The day of the incident, the child’s mother called the daycare facility to make pick-up arrangements. One of the staff members told her that her daughter was never checked in and that’s when they realized something wasn’t right.
Daycare employees went outside to search the van and discovered the victim still strapped in her child seat unresponsive and called emergency services.”
The Jacksonville County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to the preschool at 1:08 p.m. to assist the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department. Upon arrival, authorities found the child in the backseat, not breathing and they attempted to resuscitate her.
She was taken to the hospital but was declared dead.
Preliminary information suggests that the kid was there from about 8 a.m. to about a little after 1 p.m.,” Asst. Chief Brian Kee told reporters at a news conference Wednesday. “Almost five hours.”
“Further investigative efforts revealed the suspect was responsible for maintaining a separate driver’s log documenting all children that are placed onto the van,” Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office stated.
Other daycare employees told police it is Ewing’s responsibility to make sure all children are offloaded from the vehicle before entering the center.
Kee said officers are interviewing “those involved” and will coordinate with the state attorney’s office to determine the appropriate charges to file.
Grieving mother Lancia Isaac humbly went to her Facebook page asking for the public’s help to bury her 4-month-old baby.
Isaac has set up a GoFundMe page to help her family cover the costs of Brooklyn’s funeral.
via Lancia Issac:
“Hello everyone, I’m Lancia…the mother of beautiful 4 month old Baby Brooklyn. Her life was abruptly ended after she was left in a child care van for hours. The team of doctors and nurses did everything in their power to save my beautiful baby girl but she couldn’t be revived. The tragedy has left our city outraged and full of sorrow. My family is in shambles and with so many unanswered questions . I come to you all today as humble and as most importantly a grieving mother and ask for your help in helping laying my babygirl to rest.”
Prayer to Brooklyn’s mother and family. May this sweet baby girl rest in peace.
