Father Charged With Murder After Leaving Daughter In Hot Car
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- The heat proved to be deadly for a Baltimore City toddler. She was left in a hot car for 16 hours. Her father is facing murder charges.
Meghan McCorkell speaks to the little girl's family.
Family members say they are heartbroken at what they are calling a terrible accident.
A grandmother--devastated. She will never see her two-year-old granddaughter again.
"She was the love of my life. I ain't going to lie. Every day. Every day. Me and her," said Lisa Carter, victim's grandmother.
Leasia Carter died when she was left inside a scalding hot car for nearly 16 hours. Her father, 31-year-old Wilbert Leon Carter, is now charged with murder.
"I don't know all the details yet, but he would never hurt his child. He would never do that to his baby," said Carter.
According to charging documents obtained by WJZ, Leon Carter told police he'd consumed five drinks throughout the day. He says a friend drove his car back to his home. Investigators say Carter told them he had no recollection of when the car was parked there.
When he woke the next day, 16 hours later, he couldn't find his daughter.
"At that time, the father started retracing his steps," said Deteective Jeremy Silbert, Baltimore City Police Department.
That's when he found the child unconscious--still in her car seat.
Doctors say the little girl had second-degree burns.
"I can't imagine a child sitting in the car seat, saying, 'Daddy, daddy, daddy' and dying," said Meg Yaeger, neighbor.
"I honestly can't see no reason whatsoever that someone could actually forget that a kid was in the car," said Jasper Johnson, neighbor.
Now family members are trying to piece together what happened, as they deal with their grief.
"I don't know why my granddaughter had to leave here. She shouldn't have had to," Carter said.
The medical examiner will determine what killed her.
Leon Carter faces several charges, including second-degree murder, assault and child abuse.
Experts say an average of 38 children die every year from being left inside a hot car.
