A good old fashioned dead baby story

[polksalet]

Baby left in vehicle dies at hospital

Saturday, June 24, 2006 2:35 PM CDT

 

Autopsy to determine if heat exposure caused death

 

By JIM WILLIAMSON

Texarkana Gazette

 

DE QUEEN, Ark.—The 14-month-old baby left in a vehicle on a parking lot of the college where his mother worked died Friday morning at Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock.

 

The investigation has been turned over to the prosecuting attorney. Criminal charges had not been filed Friday.

 

According to authorities, the baby’s mother, in her rush to get to work, may have forgotten to leave the baby in day care.

 

Also, the baby may have had physical disabilities along with the mother’s medical condition, and it appears to be a “horrible accident,” said Ninth Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney Tom Cooper.

 

Zachary Bowden was pronounced dead at 4:16 a.m. Friday at the hospital.

 

Following policy when a child dies at the ACH, an autopsy will be done by the Pulaski County coroner, said a hospital spokesman.

 

Cooper also requested an autopsy. He said it will determine if heat exposure caused the death.

 

“The autopsy will help us complete the investigation and help us to make an informed decision with all the facts available. Without a doubt it’s a tough decision. This case could in fact be a horrible accident,” Cooper said.

 

The mother, Kristin Bowden, found the child about noon Thursday still in his car seat and unresponsive. She had parked her vehicle in the parking lot of Cossatot Community College of the University of Arkansas in De Queen. She is the vice chancellor and dean of Academic Services at CCCUA.

 

*

 

The mother, Kristin Bowden, found the child about noon Thursday still in his car seat and unresponsive. She had parked her vehicle in the parking lot of Cossatot Community College of the University of Arkansas in De Queen. She is the vice chancellor and dean of Academic Services at CCCUA.

 

College president Frank Adams said Bowden usually arrives about 8 a.m. on campus. It appears Zachary was in the car for four hours.

 

Bowden reportedly carried him to the nursing center at Cossatot where a male nursing student performed CPR and found a pulse.

 

“She went to the nurses area and the folks saw the baby in her arms. The nursing staff quickly gathered around to see if they could help and the male nursing student applied CPR in an effort to get the baby breathing,” Adams said. “They took charge and had the skills. It just wasn’t in the cards for the baby to pull out. They did everything reasonably expected and more. It’s just such a tragedy.”

 

The baby was first transported to a hospital in DeQueen and later to Little Rock.

 

Cooper said De Queen police have interviewed numerous people and they all indicate Bowden had no intent to injure or leave the child in the car.

 

“It’s harder to explain how that would occur. What strikes me or my decision is the information that Mrs. Bowden had brain tumors and brain surgery,” he said. “It could have affected her short- and long-term memory. I will factor in the statements of no intent. It’s very possible this is just a horrible accident and not a criminal act, but I’m not quite ready to make a decision.”

 

Cooper said the investigation led them to interview several people who know Bowden.

 

“Interview after interview, everyone said how shocked they were that she would forget something like this. They all mentioned her brain surgery and it had to be affecting her,” he said.

 

Cooper said Bowden did not stop at the day-care center Thursday morning but went to her job. She came back to the car at lunch and saw Zachary’s bag in the back seat and realize what happened.

 

“At that point she became hysterical and took the baby to the nursing students,” he said.

 

The report said nursing student Dusty Brantley performed the CPR and used “two cycles” to get the baby breathing again.

 

Cooper also said interviews determined the child had a birth defect, causing a limited ability to make noises or cry.

 

“Not hearing the baby while she was driving along obviously could have contributed to the situation,” he said. “Some people think I should charge her. Ultimately, I have to make the decision I believe is right.”

[Retrograde assault]

My wife would never forget her kids, thats all I can say about crap like this.