An investigation is underway regarding the death of a 10-month-old baby in Kentucky, who was reportedly left in a hot car for approximately eight hours. The infant, Scottie Crowell, was found deceased on August 13 inside a vehicle parked outside Owensboro Health Multicare in Madisonville, according to police reports. Dr. Stacey Fazenbaker, the child's grandmother, had picked her up that morning with the intention of dropping her off at daycare before going to work. However, she drove directly to work, clocked in around 8 a.m., and forgot that Scottie was still in the vehicle.
Later that day, when Scottie's father arrived at the daycare to pick her up, he was informed that she had not been dropped off. Following this, Scottie's mother contacted Fazenbaker, who then recalled that the child was still in the car. Fazenbaker and coworkers rushed outside but found Scottie unresponsive. Emergency responders were called, but attempts to revive her were unsuccessful.
Maj. Jackson McKnight commented on the incident, acknowledging the difficulty in understanding how such a situation could occur, while also recognizing the human aspect of the tragedy. The temperature that day reached 96 degrees, with a heat index of 115 degrees. Child Protective Services is involved in the investigation, and no charges have been filed at this time. Fazenbaker has consented to a blood test, and the case will be presented to a grand jury once the investigation concludes. Fazenbaker is a board-certified physician specializing in family medicine. Statistics indicate that approximately 37 children under the age of 15 die each year in the United States from heatstroke after being left in hot cars.