Toddler Dies After Being Lef In Van

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By Associated Press

August 10, 2001

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- A 2-year-old girl died Friday after she was left inside a day-care center van for three hours on a sweltering summer afternoon, authorities said.

Zaniyah Hinson was not breathing and had no pulse when paramedics arrived at the Abundant Life Academy of Learning, police Sgt. Al Tolley told The News-Journal of Daytona Beach. Temperatures in the van likely reached 140 degrees.

"Nobody can survive that kind of heat," said fire department Lt. Gene Stone.

Zaniyah was apparently one of 10 children who had been taken to a park earlier in the day. The van returned to the church-owned center about 1:30 p.m.

About three hours later, the girl's mother, Tekella Harris, arrived to pick up Zaniyah and her other children, a 5-year-old girl and a 6-year-old boy. She confronted workers when she could not find Zaniyah.

"She asked them, 'Where's my child?"' Tolley said.

A worker ran outside to the van and brought the girl inside, he said. One of the workers performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation while another called police.

The Rev. Marcus Triplett of Abundant Life Ministries could not explain how Zaniyah was left in the van, but offered his condolences.

"My heart goes out to the mom and her family and everyone involved," Triplett said. Copyright © 2001, The Associated Press

-- Anonymous, August 11, 2001


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