A Tennessee grandmother has been arrested on charges of negligent homicide after her seven-month-old foster grandson was found dead in a hot car while she worked an eight-hour shift at a library. Linda Charlene Stevens, 69, was taken into custody on Friday, two weeks after the tragic incident occurred outside the Monterey Public Library in Baxter.
Details of the Incident
According to District Attorney Bryan Dunaway, Stevens had planned to take the baby to daycare before her shift on April 15. However, she allegedly forgot the infant was in his car seat and left him in the vehicle with the windows closed and the engine off for approximately eight hours. The temperature that day reached a high of 84 degrees Fahrenheit, as reported by AccuWeather.
Authorities say Stevens placed Gabriel in his car seat in the back, secured the belt buckle, and then drove to the library. She turned off the car, went inside, and clocked in for her shift around 8 a.m. It wasn't until about 4 p.m., after daycare staff reported that Gabriel had not arrived, that the baby's mother contacted Stevens. Emergency services were called, but lifesaving efforts by Monterey Police officers were unsuccessful, and Gabriel was pronounced dead at the scene.
Legal Proceedings
Stevens was booked into Putnam County Jail on a charge of negligent homicide and is being held on a $50,000 bond. If convicted, she faces one to two years in prison. Detectives from the Putnam County Sheriff's Office joined Monterey police in the investigation and obtained a warrant for her arrest.
Community Reaction
Putnam County Sheriff Eddie Farris described the event as a devastating tragedy. 'We are thoroughly investigating the circumstances regarding this incident,' he said in a statement. 'As temperatures rise, please take a moment and always check your vehicles. A simple check can save a child's life.' Sheriff Farris also expressed his sorrow, stating, 'It's very hard. I don't think no one meant for this to happen.'
National Context
The nonprofit Kids and Car Safety reported that Gabriel's death marks the second hot car death of a child in the United States this year, following an earlier incident in Florida. The organization notes that more than half of hot car deaths involving children aged three or younger occur when a child is unknowingly left in the vehicle by an otherwise loving, responsible parent or caregiver. 'Hot car deaths increased to alarming numbers after children began riding in the back seat of vehicles,' they wrote.
Sheriff Farris urged the public to remain vigilant, especially as summer approaches. 'We haven't even got into summer yet, and I'm sure I will be not the only chief of law enforcement that has these interviews throughout the summer, and so we don't need that to happen,' he said. 'It's really sad. We all need to pay attention, and, for no reason, it's not okay to leave a child in the car anytime for any length of time. Bad things happen when you do that.'
