News

Heartbroken Mom Speaks Out After Grandma Forgot Her Toddler in a Hot Car

NewsPublished Aug 16, 2019
By Genny Glassman
Dévonté Lashawn TurnerGoFundMe

A mother from Lawrence, Kansas, is speaking out after the shocking death of her son has left her brokenhearted. According to KMBC, Kristina Turner said she received the news on Sunday night, after her grandfather called her to tell her that her grandmother had forgotten her 2-year-old son, Dévonté Lashawn Turner, in the family car. The tragic accident reportedly happened after the boy's great-grandmother returned from church, and it's a mistake that cost the poor boy his life.

Police responded to the call around 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, when they were told that a child appeared to be left unattended in a parked car.

But as soon as police arrived on the scene, little Dévonté had already died inside the family members' vehicle. It's not clear how long the boy was trapped in the car alone, but his mother shared with KMBC that it was her grandmother who forgot to take him out of the car after returning from a Sunday service.

At a news conference on Monday, Lawrence Police Chief Gregory Burns explained that heat was a probable factor in his death.

On the day that Dévonté died, temperature reached about 88 degrees outside, according to the National Weather Service -- and inside the car, the temperature could have risen to over 135 degrees. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the National Safety Council told KMBC that if the death is determined to be related to the temperature, it will be the 32nd pediatric heatstroke fatality this year.

The police chief also shared that as of yet, no charges have been made, but the child's death has been labeled as suspicious.

“As those involved attempt to heal from this loss, our thoughts are with everyone who has been affected by this event,” Burns told The Kansas City Star. “Any time that we lose a citizen of our city, it is very tragic. This tragedy is only compounded when it involves a child.

“This serves as a reminder, to please take extra care when exiting your vehicle,” he added. “Especially at this time of year when temperatures are high.”

The boy's grieving mom is speaking out about her son's death now in hopes that other parents won't suffer in the way that she has.

Turner told KMBC that somehow she had a "weird feeling" on the day her son died. "I didn't know what was going on but I just kind of had a mother’s instinct, I guess," she said. "It is going to hurt for the rest of my life."

"He needs to be remembered as just a beautiful soul ... like he was amazing," she added. 

The mother has set up a GoFundMe page to help pay for her son's funeral expenses, which she shared she had "no money" to pay for. It has since raised over $2,000 so far. 

"There is not going to be a moment that won't go by that I won't remember my son or that I won't look over and think that he should be here," the mom told to KMBC. "They depend on you, and if nobody is making sure that they are OK, most of them can't fight for themselves ... They can't get out of a car. They can't unstrap themselves from a car seat."

Her hope is that by being vocal now, even through the grief, she can help prevent even one child from dying in the way that Dévonté did. 

"My biggest thing is I don't want to see this happen to anybody else's kids," she said.

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