What did Kristen Graham do? Virginia woman charged with murder in connection to hot car toddler death

40-year-old Kristen Graham has been charged with felony murder in connection with the death of an 11-month-old baby girl and a dog left alone in a car for about six hours in York County, Virginia, on September 12, 2023, as reported by Crime Online. After the incident, the York-Poquoson Sheriff's Office arrested Graham a short time later for felony child neglect and animal cruelty.

The authorities were alerted when a man arrived at Bon Secours Mary Immaculate Hospital in Newport News, reporting a "deceased child" in the back of his vehicle around 4 p.m. on Tuesday, September 12, as reported by 13 News.

Kristen Graham was taken into custody on Wednesday and charged in connection with the deaths, as reported by The People. The York-Poquoson Sheriff, Ron Montgomery, addressed the public in a news conference on Facebook.

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Caretaker Kristen Graham charged in Toddler's death

Sheriff Ron Montgomery disclosed that Kristen Graham was entrusted with caring for both 11-month-old Myrical Wicker and a dog. Myrical's 17-year-old mother, Arianna Wicker, left her daughter in Graham's care. Authorities stated that Graham, the baby girl, and the dog resided with an unnamed man in his 80s in Seaford, as reported by CBS News.

On September 12, an unnamed man brought Myrical to the emergency room, reporting her as deceased. Medical staff discovered her lifeless body in a black plastic trash bag in the rear hatch of the vehicle.

Sheriff Montgomery shared that Kristen Graham had left Myrical and the dog inside the vehicle for an extended period amid high temperatures. Before the discovery, Graham had taken them to a friend's place around 1 a.m. on September 12, delivering "cigarettes and a bottle of apple juice" from a gas station. After staying for a few hours, they returned to York County around 8 a.m.

Upon reaching her home, Kristen Graham left the child and the dog in the vehicle, rolling up the windows, shutting off the ignition, and going inside to sleep. An investigation revealed that Graham had been caring for Myrical for about two days, sometimes extending her care for weeks at a time.

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Homicide charges pending autopsy results for Kristen Graham

Kristen Graham has been arrested at her home and charged with felony child neglect, a class four felony, and animal cruelty, a class one misdemeanor, according to Sheriff Ron Montgomery. The charges stem from the heartbreaking discovery of 11-month-old Myrical Wicker's lifeless body in a hot car, with the possibility of upgrading to homicide charges pending the completion of the child's autopsy.

Court documents reveal that Graham is in custody at the Virginia Peninsula Regional Jail. The arrest came on Wednesday, and the investigation is ongoing, with the York-Poquoson Sheriff’s Office awaiting results from the Medical Examiner’s Office to determine the cause of Myrical's death, as reported by Crime Online.

Sheriff Montgomery expressed the gravity of the situation, stating,

"These are not typical situations that we deal with in your county. When you do come across the death of a child, it affects everyone ... We have children ourselves, and I can tell you that we all go home and hug our kids and our grandkids a little tighter after something like this happens."

Amidst the ongoing investigation, there is uncertainty about whether Kristen Graham has obtained legal representation. Initially released on bond for animal cruelty and child neglect charges, she later surrendered at the Virginia Peninsula Regional Jail on Thursday, February 22, and is currently held without bond, as reported by WVEC.