3-month-old child dies in hot car and mom ‘does not remember anything,’ PA cops say

A mother has been charged with murder in the death of her child, who was found in a hot car “beyond help,” Pennsylvania officials say.

The child’s mother, 32-year-old Emily Weaver, was discovered by her stepfather Wednesday, Oct. 4, unresponsive in the bedroom of her West Hempfield home, Lancaster Online reported, citing court records. The stepfather went to check on Weaver when she did not pick up her sons from school, the outlet reported

When she was woken up, Weaver said she did not know where her 3-month-old daughter was, according to the affidavit obtained by WGAL.

The baby was eventually found in Weaver’s vehicle with the doors and windows closed, the Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office said. The car was parked in direct sunlight, as outside temperatures reached 80 degrees, the prosecutor said.

The district attorney said the child was pronounced dead at the scene. The baby, identified as Jeannie Rose Golden, died from asphyxia due to hyperthermia, the corner’s office told Lancaster Online

It’s unclear how long the baby was in the car.

Weaver told West Hempfield police she had plans of using meth after taking her children to school Wednesday but could not remember if she did, WHP reported.

“Ms. Weaver expressed that she does not remember anything after returning home from school, until she was awakened,” WGAL reported, citing the affidavit.

The district attorney said Weaver was arrested and charged with third-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter and endangering the welfare of a child.

West Hempfield is about 35 miles southeast of Harrisburg.

What to know about Hot Car Deaths

More than 950 children have died in hot cars since 1998, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

“About 40 children a year die from heatstroke, either because they were left or became trapped in a car,” officials said. “That’s about one child every 10 days killed in a hot car.”

Hot car deaths are most common in the summer, but they can happen at any time, according to the administration. The first “vehicular heatstroke” of the year typically happens in March.

“Leaving a window open is not enough - temperatures inside the car can rise almost 20 degrees Fahrenheit within the first 10 minutes, even with a window cracked open,” the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

If you see a child alone in a vehicle, officials said you should make sure the child is responsive and if not, immediately call 911.

This story was originally published October 6, 2023 at 9:34 AM with the headline "3-month-old child dies in hot car and mom ‘does not remember anything,’ PA cops say."