8-year-old girl dies in hot car; mom charged with manslaughter

A young girl in North Carolina died after her mother apparently left her in a car for hours on one of the hottest days of the year.

Last Wednesday, 36-year-old Ashlee Stallings went to work at an Amazon facility near Charlotte Douglas International Airport on a day when temperatures reached between 94 and 97 degrees. For reasons unknown, Stallings also brought along her 8-year-old daughter and then allegedly left the girl in the car so she could attend to her job responsibilities.

Stallings suggested to police that her daughter may have turned off the AC after she became too cold.

About three and a half hours later and about an hour and a half after the girl's last text message, Stallings went to the car to check on her daughter. According to reports, she found her daughter lying on the floor of the backseat, foaming at the mouth, and struggling to breathe.

Stallings then reportedly grabbed a hammer and smashed out a back window to get the girl. She then hopped in the driver's seat and headed for the hospital but stopped somewhere along the way and dialed 911.

First responders raced to the scene and found the girl in "critical condition," a police statement said. They then transported the girl to the hospital, where she was pronounced deceased.

Court documents have indicated the girl had gone into cardiac arrest and suffered brain damage as a result of hyperthermia. Her name has not been released.

When questioned, Stallings reportedly admitted to police that she had knowingly left the girl in the car and that doing so was wrong. However, she added that she had left the car running with the air conditioning turned on and had been keeping in contact with her daughter via text, court documents said. Stallings suggested to police that her daughter may have turned off the AC after she became too cold.

Stallings was arrested and charged with involuntary manslaughter and child abuse or neglect causing serious injury. She remains at the Mecklenburg County Detention Center on a bond of at least $250,000.

A statement from Amazon described the incident as "incredibly tragic." "During this difficult time, we’re supporting our employees and have made counseling resources widely available," the statement added.

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