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A 1-year-old toddler named Ra'Miyah Worthington, died a tragic death on Monday, August 21, after being left in a daycare van on one of the hottest days of the year in Omaha. The van driver, Ryan Williams, has been arrested and charged with child negligence.
Trigger warning: The article contains references to the death of a child. Readers' discretion is advised.
According to Douglas County chief deputy attorney Brenda Beadle, Ra'Miyah Worthington was left in the van for about five to six hours, ultimately leading to her death due to the soaring temperatures.
Ra'Miyah was initially with two of her siblings in the van, who were eventually taken out. However, she was left behind.
Why Ra'Miyah Worthington was left in the car: Van driver claims he was distracted
On Monday, August 21, at around 3 pm local time, responding officers were called to help with an unresponsive child at a daycare center in Omaha, named Kidz of the Future, near 50th and Leavenworth Streets. The child was identified as 1-year-old Ra'Miyah Worthington. She was rushed to the hospital in a critical condition.
Despite medical care, the toddler couldn't be saved, and was pronounced dead shortly after. According to court documents, her body temperature was recorded to be 42.8C. NHS has confirmed that, for a child, a high body temperature would be 38C or anything over that.
The temperatures in Omaha have been on the rise for quite some time now, and Monday was one of the hottest days recorded, with about 99 degrees outside. The temperature was possibly 20 degrees more inside the car, which was parked in the sun. Although authorities haven't revealed how long the van was parked outside with the toddler inside, Ra'Miyah Worthington's family claimed it was for hours.
Authorities have further revealed that the van driver, Ryan Williams, works for Kidz of the Future Child Development Center.
The 62-year-old van driver has been charged with a felony count of child negligence resulting in death. If found guilty, he might face a prison time of up to four years. Willims stated that a little boy was creating a fuss while getting out of the van, which distracted him, and he forgot to check if the van was empty before he shut it.
Family members respond to the 1-year-old's death
Ra'Miyah Worthington's family is grieving the loss of their little child.
Reeyon Worthington, Ra'Miyah's dad, spoke about his grief:
"I'm not comprehending how this could have even possibly happened. The house is so quiet now. It don't even feel the same. You know what I mean? I don't get to hear little feet coming in, you know, hopping on my bed."
Her mum, Sina Johnson, said:
"She loved, loved, loved her family. She loved her daddy. She was daddy's little girl."
A family friend, Michaela Parker, addressed the tragic loss, saying:
"Just to hear the hurt and the cries in her voice, I can just only imagine. I would not wish this on nobody."
The case is currently under investigation, and the daycare is closed for now. However, the other branches are operating usual.
A similar incident took place in July, when a 46-year-old babysitter forgot a toddler inside the vehicle in Florida. The 10-month-old baby stayed there for hours, before passing away. The babysitter was then taken into custody.
