Jul 20, 2008 10:12 pm US/Eastern
WPB Boy Dies After Being Left In Hot Car
WEST PALM BEACH (CBS4) ―
A West Palm Beach family, which should be celebrating a wedding, is mourning the death of a 4-year old boy instead.
The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office says the boy's 29-year old mother, Mirland Baptiste, found her son Gregory Cesar in their Ford Expedition on a sweltering hot day. Now investigators believe she may not have known he was in there. The medical examiner's office announced they completed the boy's autopsy but will not announce the exact cause of death until they finish their toxicology report.
Officials say Baptiste, who was getting married on Saturday, left her house around 9 a.m. She and her sister had planned to drop 4 children, including Gregory, off with a relative before going to a nail salon in the 2600 block of Military Trail. The children were supposed to be getting their hair done while Baptiste and her sister were to go to another location and have their nails done.
Palm Beach investigators say they believe both women thought all four children had gotten into the relative's car to wait for the hair salon to open. Investigators say it appears Gregory climbed back into the SUV without either woman noticing that he was there.
The women drove to the salon and spent three hours inside having their nails done, and other pampering. When they walked back to the SUV around 11:45 a.m., they found Gregory unconscious in the back seat.
The boy was taken to Palms West Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Family members, dressed up for the wedding, were in shock outside of the hospital.
The boy's aunt talked about witnessing the boy's last moments of life.
"Me I'm thinking he's sleeping," said Juliana Jean, as she sobbed. "I'm putting water all over his face, opening his mouth, dropping water on his face. I didn't know what to do."
Police have not said if they plan to file charges against Baptiste.
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