CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The grandmother involved in the hot-car death of her 9-month-old granddaughter Wednesday has been admitted to the hospital with cardiac issues, 3NEWS has learned.
Criminally negligent homicide charges are expected to be leveled in this case, but given the woman’s health issues, so far that has not happened.
The baby was the second Coastal Bend baby younger than 2 years old to die in a hot-car death within a 24-hour span Wednesday. A 22-month-old was found dead in a car in Corpus Christi on Tuesday.
The Beeville death happened at the 100 block of East Flournoy Street. Beeville PD responded to a call for an unresponsive child there. When they arrived, they found a grandmother holding a child.
Beeville PD Assistant Chief Richard Cantu Jr. said the girl was last seen in the back of a vehicle at 8:30 a.m. After she forgot the child in the car and went inside, she discovered what happened when she got back to the car after 4 p.m.
"It's an unfortunate scene in the first responder community, especially this time of year with the heat," Beeville PD Assistant Chief Richard Cantu Jr. said.
The scene is being treated as a crime scene, Behr said, and the Texas Rangers will be assisting with Beeville PD's investigation. He said this is a criminal investigation over the suspicious death of a child.
"Once the Rangers arrive and collaboration of their investigative skills and our detectives working hand-in-hand, basically determine what actually occurred before we arrived," Cantu Jr. said.
Cantu Jr. said his department hopes to work with the Texas Rangers to determine if any action is needed after they investigate the tragedy. Law enforcement officials said there will be an autopsy to determine the child's cause of death.
Cantu Jr. said parents, grandparents and legal guardians need to be more cautious.
"We need to be aware that once we come to a standstill, or park, that we need to make sure we get everybody out," Cantu Jr. said.
A GoFundMe has been set up on behalf of the family. If you would like to make a donation you can do so at this link.
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