The co-owner of a Jacksonville day care center is facing child neglect charges following the death of a 4-month-old girl who was left in the center's van for nearly five hours on Wednesday.
An arrest has been made for Child Neglect in reference to the infant that died who was left in a daycare van. The co-owner of the daycare, Darryl Ewing, 56 years old has been booked into jail. More information forthcoming. The investigation is active and ongoing. https://t.co/X7P2gjJ6UH
— Jax Sheriff's Office (@JSOPIO) May 23, 2019
The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office says 56-year-old Darryl Ewing was the sole driver of the van. They say he picked up the four-month-old girl and two of her siblings Wednesday morning, along with several other children.
According to authorities, the center cares for 14 children.
Deputies responded to the day care in the 5800 block of Lenox Avenue just after 1 p.m. The infant was found in the van after her mother called to make after school arrangements for all of her children and was told the victim was never checked in, according to the sheriff's office.
Day care employees went to the van and found the infant still strapped into her car seat in the third row of the van. She was unresponsive.
The sheriff's office estimates the infant was in the van for nearly five hours, from around 8:25 a.m. until 1 p.m.
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Jacksonville firefighters reportedly tried to revive the baby and took her to the hospital, but she could not be saved.
The 4-month-old was identified as Brooklyn by her mother Lancia Isaac on Facebook on Thursday. Isaac shared this picture of Brooklyn, along with a link to this GoFundMe account.
"The team of doctors and nurses did everything in their power to save my beautiful baby girl but she couldn't be revived," Isaac wrote. "My family is in shambles and with so many unanswered questions. I come to you all today as humble and as most importantly a grieving mother and ask for your help in helping laying my babygirl to rest."
According to the sheriff's office, Ewing was responsible for maintaining a driver's log documenting all of the children that are placed into the van. Detectives who viewed the log say Ewing logged the two siblings of the infant, but not her.
"It was determined the suspect’s actions (and lack thereof) failed to provide the victim with the necessary supervision and provide services to protect the victim’s physical health," the sheriff's office said. "All which was essential to the victim’s well-being and contributed to the death of the victim."
Ewing was taken to the police station to be interviewed, but the sheriff's office says he refused to talk to detectives. He was arrested and booked into jail.
The investigation is on-going.
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