The director of the daycare has been arrested.
A baby girl has died after she was reportedly left in a van outside a daycare for almost five hours.
NBC News report that the director of the Florida-based daycare, Ewing’s Love & Hope Preschool and Academy, has been arrested on a child neglect charge.
The Jacksonville County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement on Facebook that they had been called to the preschool just after 1pm on Wednesday to assist the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue.
Police and personnel arrived to find the little girl was not breathing and tried to resuscitate her. She was then taken to the hospital, where she was declared dead.
During a press conference on Wednesday, Asst. Chief Brian Kee told press:
“Preliminary information suggests that the kid was there from about 8 a.m. to about a little after 1 p.m. Almost five hours.”
Kee added that the death of the young girl, believed to be a few months old, is still being investigated – but it is thought to be heat related.
He added that the authorities were interviewing “those involved” and would coordinate with the state attorney’s office.
The Florida Department of Children and Families confirmed in a statement to NBC affiliate WTLV in Jacksonville that the daycare’s license had been temporarily suspending on Wednesday.
This was because they had not notified the state that they were transporting children.
They added that they had opened a joint child death and child care licensing investigation with local law enforcement.
DCF Secretary Chad Poppell said in a statement:
“Every day, parents entrust child care providers with their most precious gifts. Tragically, today a family has just been notified of the gut-wrenching loss of their precious baby girl.”
