On Friday, law enforcement arrested 36-year-old Gbemisola Akayinode, charging her with felony murder following the tragic death of her 9-year-old daughter, who was found unresponsive in a hot car in Galena Park, Texas. The incident occurred in July while Akayinode was at work.
Court documents reveal that Akayinode admitted to leaving her daughter in her vehicle while she worked an eight-hour shift at USG, a manufacturer of industrial and building products. During this time, she reportedly lowered the back windows halfway and left her daughter with food, a fan, water, and ice cubes, and had given her melatonin to help her sleep.
Akayinode stated that she did not check on her daughter throughout her shift due to being “too busy.” Upon leaving work, she discovered her daughter unresponsive and called for help. The child was subsequently transported to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
The medical examiner’s office reported that the girl’s body temperature was an alarming 108 degrees at the time of examination, determining the cause of death to be hyperthermia.
According to court records, this was not the first instance of Akayinode leaving her daughter alone in the car while she worked; she admitted to having done so on multiple occasions, including the day prior to the incident, totaling approximately four times. She claimed financial constraints prevented her from affording daycare until she received her paycheck. However, a coworker indicated that he had been assisting her financially due to her struggles.
When questioned by investigators about whether she had checked the weather or was aware of the outside temperatures, Akayinode reportedly stated that it “slipped her mind.”
Akayinode made her initial court appearance early Sunday morning. Current online jail records indicate that she is scheduled to return to court on Monday, with a bond set at $500,000.
The case raises significant concerns regarding child safety and parental responsibility, particularly the risks associated with leaving children unattended in vehicles during extreme weather conditions. The ongoing legal proceedings will determine the outcome of the charges against Akayinode.
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