46-year-old babysitter Rhonda Jewell was arrested and charged on Thursday in connection to the tragic death of a toddler. Rhonda allegedly left the 10-month-old toddler in the car for at least five hours. The internal temperature of the vehicle went over 133 degrees, which resulted in the death of the baby.
Trigger warning: The article contains references to the death of a toddler. Readers’ description is advised.
The baby was found unresponsive by her mother, who spotted that she was unattended inside the hot vehicle. The toddler was rushed to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead. According to hospital staff, the baby’s internal temperature was over a hundred degrees.
Rhonda Jewell currently faces charges of aggravated manslaughter of a child. The same has been confirmed by Baker County Sheriff’s Office. Rhonda has currently been released with GPS monitoring after posting a bond of $25,000.
Rhonda Jewell left a 10-month-old toddler in the car when the inside temperature was more than 133 degrees
On Wednesday, July 19, 2023, at around 8 am local time, Rhonda Jewell picked up the toddler from her house in north Macclenny. She then drove to another location on Estates Street in south Macclenny, where she was expected to watch three other children.
Jewell ended up leaving the toddler inside the car for hours after she left. It was further revealed that the 46-year-old babysitter had been watching the toddler since June. At around 1 pm local time, when the toddler’s mother came to pick her up, she made the horrific discovery.
She called emergency services and reported that the baby had blue lips and was not breathing. Responding officers rushed the toddler to Fraser Memorial Hospital, where she was declared dead.
The arrest report confirmed:
“It wasn’t until the decedent’s mother arrived at the address (…) to pick up her child, that the decedent’s mother found her to still be strapped in a car seat inside the hot vehicle.”
The toddler’s internal temperature read 110 degrees, which is reportedly the highest that the thermometer could read
According to medical professionals, the baby was very hot when they touched her. They also stated that the baby’s external temperature was found to be 102.1 degrees, and her internal temperature was read as 110 degrees. They also mentioned that 110 is the highest temperature that the thermometer could read.
The temperature in the area reached around 99 degrees that day when the toddler was left in the car for about five hours. According to Sheriff Scotty Rhoden:
“Each of us is given the gift of life every morning we wake up and every evening when we finish our day, we are blessed if our family is safe and healthy. In the blink of an eye, our world can be turned upside down.”
Rhoden further said:
“Please be mindful of this when trying to understand the tragedy that took place in our small town yesterday.”
Authorities arrested Rhonda Jewell on Thursday and charged her with aggravated manslaughter of a child resulting in death. She was further taken to the Baker County Detention Center.