A Madisonville, Kentucky grand jury declined Tuesday to indict a doctor whose 10-month-old grandson died after being left in a hot car for roughly eight hours. Police say the grandmother picked Scottie Crowell up on the morning of Aug. 13 intending to take him to daycare, but forgot he was in the vehicle and went to work. He was discovered around 4 p.m. after his mother called the grandmother at work. First responders attempted lifesaving measures, but the infant died. The grand jury found insufficient probable cause for an indictment.
The decision raises difficult questions about when a caregiver should face criminal charges after a tragedy. Safety advocates point out that hot-car deaths are typically caused by memory lapses, not intent: a change in routine, a tired caregiver, a quiet back seat. The Commonwealth’s Attorney asked the public to keep the infant’s parents and family in their thoughts and prayers as they process what she called an unimaginable loss.
Here on the Suncoast, where heat is a fact of life for much of the year, prevention deserves the spotlight. A simple habit, like placing a purse, phone, or shoe in the back seat next to the car seat, forces a glance back before you walk away. So does asking your daycare to call if a child doesn’t arrive. What’s the one habit your family uses to make sure no one gets left behind?
