A Florida woman was arrested after she allegedly left her 1-year-old daughter inside a hot car, leading to the infant’s death, Seminole County authorities said on Saturday.
Orlando’s NBC2 reports that 29-year-old Kailyn Pollard is facing charges of negligent manslaughter after her daughter, Kit Noelle Pollard, was found dead inside a car parked by a gas pump on Friday evening. The incident occurred at the Wawa gas station off of the 4600 block of State Road 46 in Sanford.
According to investigators, Pollard worked from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday and apparently left the little girl inside the car for hours. Pollard typically dropped the toddler off at daycare prior to work but on this particular day, she “forgot.”
Click Orlando reports that Pollard drove to an Olive Garden restaurant to pick up food after work, and allegedly still failed to realize the baby was in the car. After picking up food, she pulled into the Wawa parking lot to get gas, then noticed her little girl in her carseat, unconscious.
According to the police report, the baby’s carseat was rear-facing and in the backseat with a mirror attached so that Pollard could see her while driving. A deputy reported that the mirror was attached “for direct visual connection with the driver and car seat rider via rear view mirror.”
Pollard apparently had an emotional break down after the incident. Officers took her to the Central Florida Regional Hospital for “extreme anxiety” issues. Officers also indicated that Pollard became uncooperative during the investigation and asked for an attorney.
The temperatures outside reached 96 degrees on the day the little girl died, a record high temperature in September for Sanford, per the the National Weather Service in Melbourne. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), temperatures inside a car can rise to anywhere from 130 to 172 degrees during 90 degree weather, if parked in direct sunlight.
The suspect was later arrested and taken to the John E. Polk Correctional Facility. She reportedly made $20,000 and is awaiting her next court hearing, scheduled for October 23.
Check back with CrimeOnline as additional details become available.
[Feature Photo: Kailyn Pollard/Polk County Sheriff’s Office]
