1-year-old dies after she was left in car

ECHOLA | A 1-year-old girl died after being trapped in a car during the day Friday, according to police.

“It’s unclear what caused the baby to be left in the car,” said Capt. Loyd Baker, commander of the Tuscaloosa County Homicide Unit. “We don’t have the official cause of death, but it appears to be heat related.”

The 19-month-old’s siblings may have been playing in the car with her while parents got groceries, but parents later noticed she was not with her siblings. Her father searched the house and eventually found her on the floor board by the front passenger seat, Baker said. The doors were not locked, but were closed along with the windows, he said.

The father and, later, step-mother performed CPR. Volunteer firefighters, who arrived at the house off Upper Columbus Road near the Echola community, also performed CPR. The girl could not be revived, and was pronounced dead at the hospital, Baker said.

The incident is under investigation to determine if criminal charges are warranted, Baker said.