A Texas mother, 36-year-old Gbemisola Akayinode, has been charged with felony murder after her 9-year-old daughter, Oluwasikemi, died of hyperthermia on July 1. According to ABC 7 Chicago, Akayinode left the child in a car at a gated parking lot in Galena Park while she worked. The documents say she gave the girl a fan, water, ice, food, and melatonin before going inside and did not return to check on her until her shift ended.
A 9-year-old girl in Texas died after being left in a vehicle that reached 97.4 degrees inside, with doctors recording her body temperature at 108 degrees despite resuscitation attempts. Court documents cited by KHOU say the mother, Gbemisola Akayinode, admitted to leaving the child in the car before because she couldn’t afford daycare and was facing financial struggles.
Akayinode allegedly blamed the child’s ADHD medication, though she admitted giving melatonin, and she is now held on a $500,000 bond. Medical experts warn that core body temperatures above 102–104 degrees can cause fatal organ damage and urge the public to call 911 if a child or pet is seen alone in a vehicle.
