Toledo woman arrested after infant left unattended in vehicle dies in Williston

Special to the News Herald
·2 min read
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PORT CLINTON - A Toledo woman was arrested Wednesday after the death of a 4-month-old child who was left in a vehicle for several hours.

Naiya Parker, 24, was charged with involuntary manslaughter and endangering children after the infant was found unresponsive in a vehicle on Main Street in Williston, according to the Ottawa County Sheriff's Office.

The child was taken to St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center in Toledo where it was pronounced dead, the sheriff's office said in a news release.

According to the news release, the sheriff's office received a 911 call at 2:40 p.m. Wednesday from a business in the 5800 block of Main Street in Willison about an unresponsive child. The temperature at the time was approximately 83 degrees.

Allen-Clay Joint Fire District responded along with the sheriff's office. Deputies discovered that the child was knowingly left in the vehicle for several hours unattended.

More: 'Beat the Heat' shows dangers of leaving children, pets in unattended cars

Parker is being held in the Ottawa County Detention Facility. She was slated for an initial appearance on Aug. 17 in Ottawa County Municipal Court. Further investigation is pending, the sheriff's office said.

The temperature in Ottawa County yesterday afternoon was approximately 83 degrees. In a "Beat the Heat" demonstration held in Fremont in June 2022 to warn of the dangers of hot vehicles during the summer, the temperature inside a vehicle on an 87-degree day was measured at 109 degrees after nine minutes, and 117 degrees within 30 minutes.

A person can die if their body temperature reaches 107 degrees, according to officials in the "Beat the Heat" demonstration.

In addition to the Allen-Clay Joint Fire District, the sheriff's office was assisted at the scene in Williston by the Ottawa County Prosecutor's Office and Pat and Son's Towing.

This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Four-month-old child pronounced dead after being left in a vehicle