A Florida mother is grieving and asking for help after her infant daughter died due to a daycare owner’s negligence. According to a Go Fund Me launched by Lancia Isaac, 4-month-old Brooklyn was left unattended in a child care van for hours.
Issac says the tragedy has “left our city outraged and full of sorrow.” She continued, “My family is in shambles and with so many unanswered questions.”
According to ABC Action News, baby Brooklyn was in the van for nearly five hours before daycare employees at Love & Hope Preschool and Academy in Jacksonville found her unresponsive and called for help. They were prompted to look for her after Isaac called to make pick-up arrangements for the infant and her siblings. They soon realized only two of Isaac’s three kids had been entered into the daycare log for the day.
“The suspect parked the van in front of the daycare and left the vehicle unattended with the victim still strapped in her car seat in the third row of the van,” police assessed in a statement following the incident.
The police arrested 56-year-old Darryl Ewing, who serves as a director at the school, on charges of child neglect. According to People, daycare employees told police it is Ewing’s responsibility to make sure all children are taken off of the van before entering the daycare facility.
Authorities believe baby Brooklyn died from heat-related injuries, given the 92-degree weather in Jacksonville. According to NBC News, the day care’s license was temporarily suspended following the incident because it was not properly registered to transport children.