State Investigating Death of Lawyers' Toddler in Hot Car

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is taking the lead in the investigation into the death of a 16-month-old girl in Lake City Tuesday.

According to the agency, the little girl was found dead inside a vehicle at 111 Southwest Stafford Court in Lake City Tuesday afternoon.

The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office enlisted the state agency’s help in the case because the child’s parents are both employed by the 3rd Judicial Circuit of Florida, FDLE reported in a media release. The baby’s mother is assistant state attorney Wendy Timonera Kwon and her father is assistant public defender Young Kwon, according to FDLE.

While the investigation is still ongoing, FDLE reports that the death appears accidental.

“Initial information provided to responding CCSO deputies indicated the child’s father forgot to take her to daycare that morning and did not discover her until he returned home yesterday (Tuesday) afternoon,” FDLE stated.

See Also:

• Tot Left in Hot Car So Woman Could Attend Book Fair, Deputies Say
• Watch: Deputy Shows How Hot Cars Can Get
• Dispatcher Hangs Up on Mom With Baby in Hot Car
• 30 Hot Days, 30 Lost Children: Season for Hot-Car Deaths Arrives

It is unclear at this time if charges will be filed in the case.

Late last month, a Port Richey woman was charged with child neglect after Pasco County deputies found out she left a 2 1/2-year-old girl inside a hot car so she could attend a school book fair. While the child was rescued in time in that case, hot vehicle deaths are all too common this time of year as temperatures start to soar.

Deputies and firefighters across the Tampa Bay region are warning parents of the dangers of leaving anyone inside a hot car. In 2014, a Sarasota County deputy recorded himself inside a closed up patrol vehicle to show the effects on the body after just 11 minutes.

In 2014, an estimated 30 children across the country died after being left inside vehicles. The website SafeKids.org offers insights on how to prevent tragedies.

Image via Shutterstock

Keep up with what’s happening around town and the state by signing up for your favorite Patch daily newsletter: Bloomingdale-Riverview, Bradenton, Brandon, Carrollwood-Northdale, Clearwater, Dunedin, East Lake, Gulfport, Land O’ Lakes, Largo, Lutz, New Port Richey, New Tampa, Palm Harbor, Pinellas Beaches, Safety Harbor, Sarasota, Seminole Heights, South Tampa-Hyde Park, St. Pete, Tarpon Springs, Temple Terrace, Westchase.