Young girl dies after mother leaves her in hot car to go to work: police

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A mother was recently arrested after she allegedly left her young daughter in a hot car before clocking into work.

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) announced the arrest of Ashlee Stallings, 36, on Thursday. The mother has been charged with involuntary manslaughter and child abuse by willful act causing serious injury related to the death of her 8-year-old daughter.

In a press release, police explained that Stallings' daughter was found in critical condition in a hot car in Charlotte on Wednesday. Officers were alerted to the situation around 6:30 p.m.

"Upon arrival, officers located an 8-year-old female in critical condition inside of a vehicle," the police's statement read. "The victim was transported to the hospital and was later pronounced deceased."

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Ashlee Stallings, 36, has been criminally charged in relation to the death of her daughter. (Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department / Google Maps)

"Upon further investigation it was determined that the victim was left in a vehicle in hot weather conditions and suffered a medical emergency."

The girl's cause of death was listed as a brain herniation due to hyperthermia, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by WTVD. In the affidavit, police reported that Stalling returned to her car and found her daughter breathing shallowly and foaming at the mouth. 

The mother then used a hammer to break open the back window and attempted to drive to a hospital before stopping and asking a local business for help. The suspect told police that she was aware of the fact that her daughter was in the car, but that she left air conditioning on. 

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The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department responded to the report of the young child in distress.

Stallings "believed the victim turned the car off because she was cold," the affidavit said.

"She admitted she knew the temperature was 94 degrees outside and that she should not have left the victim inside the car alone," police added.

Stallings was transferred to the custody of the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office after her arrest. 

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Fox News Digital reached out to the CMPD for more information, but has not heard back.