RFP Staff
♦ Sources in the Salisbury Police reported that late this afternoon that a 2 year-old female child was found deceased in a black Chevrolet car in a parking lot behind Building 7 at the W. G. (Bill) Hefner VA Medical Center on the 1600 Block of Brenner Avenue in Salisbury.
Salisbury Police investigators examining car at the scene (from Facebook):
Police were dispatched to the Center at 4:37 p.m. when a VA employee found the child in a locked car. When officers drove into the VA lot they were directed to the Chevrolet and immediately went to work forcing their way into car’s by breaking out the rear window. The child, strapped to her car seat, was lifted out and given CPR by the officers until they were releaved by EMS and the Salisbury Fire Department. Sadly the youngster was pronounced dead at the scene. According to Salisbury Police sources the toddler was transported yesterday to the Medical Examiner’s office in Chapel Hill, N.C. for an autopsy. District Attorney Brandy Cook will decide what charges will be brought if any after examining the Medical Examiner’s report. The autopsy is due to be performed Friday morning.
Allegedly the child was left in the car all day. It’s reported the mother got to work just before 8 a.m. The child was not removed from the car until 4:37 p.m. The heat likely built up in the car overtime due to yesterday’s temperatures.
The father of the child showed up in the later afternoon and was visibly upset. Officers at the scene were said to be in tears.
The mother of the deceased child was employed at the Center. It is said she only recently began employment at the VA. Her name has not been released.
The VA Police are assisting Salisbury Police detectives in the investigation.
**This article will be updated as more information arrives.**
