A baby boy died after police say a daycare worker left him inside a scorching vehicle for more than eight hours at her Little Rock, Arkansas facility. The child's body temperature reached 110 degrees before first responders arrived, according to a police report.
Background
Hope Jones, 62, owned and operated the daycare located at 8212 Frenchman Lane in Little Rock. According to investigators with the Little Rock Police Department, Jones picked up the child from his foster mother at approximately 6:20 a.m. Wednesday morning and transported him to her facility. Upon arrival, police say she became distracted returning to work and left the infant secured in a car seat inside her pickup truck.
Jones reportedly failed to conduct an accurate headcount of the children under her care, forgetting about the boy for the entire workday. When she returned to her vehicle at the end of the day, she discovered the child unresponsive in the car seat. She then brought him inside the business in a failed attempt to save his life.
The Investigation
Police responded to 8212 Frenchman Lane on Wednesday afternoon following a report of an unresponsive infant. Responding officers found the child deceased at the scene with a body temperature of 110 degrees, according to a police report cited by regional NBC affiliate KARK. Homicide detectives with the Little Rock Police Department took over the investigation.
Jones was arrested and charged with second-degree murder. She appeared in Little Rock District Court and posted bond set at $15,000 before her release.
Key Takeaways
- The child was a foster care placement under Jones's supervision at the time of his death
- Jones allegedly became distracted when returning to work Wednesday morning, leaving the baby in her pickup truck for over eight hours
- Police say an incorrect headcount caused Jones to lose track of the boy throughout the entire day
- The child's body temperature was 110 degrees when first responders arrived at the scene
- Jones has been charged with second-degree murder and released on $15,000 bond
What's Next
Jones is scheduled to appear in Little Rock District Court again on Sept. 9 for further proceedings. The Arkansas Department of Human Services, which oversees foster care placements, may conduct a separate investigation into the incident given that the child was under state custody.
The Little Rock Police Department's homicide division continues its investigation while prosecutors prepare their case.