6-Month-Old Louisiana Girl Dies in Hot Car and Her Mom Is Charged with Murder

According to authorities, 22-year-old Ivy Lee flagged down an off-duty deputy in Lake Charles, La. Sunday afternoon and advised the deputy that her baby was not breathing

Carissa Lewis. Photo: Facebook

A Louisiana mom has been charged with second-degree murder after authorities allege she left her 6-month-old baby girl in a hot car for five hours while she was at work.

According to a Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Office news release, 22-year-old Ivy Lee flagged down an off-duty deputy in Lake Charles, La., Sunday afternoon and advised the deputy that her baby was not breathing.

Another deputy arrived on the scene and the pair attempted to revive the infant, who was later pronounced dead at the hospital, the sheriff's office says.

Family members identified the infant as Carissa Lewis, per WAFB-TV.

"It was just like heart ripping — like how do you explain this to [Carissa's] sister, how do you comfort family?" Ivy's sister Ashley Lee, who reportedly has custody of Ivy's older daughter, told the outlet. "Then on top of that with it being my sister, it's been a lot."

Ivy initially denied Carissa was in her care at the time she was found unresponsive, the release reads.

She then allegedly confessed to leaving her daughter in her vehicle.

Temperatures reached 92 degrees that day, according to a weather report.

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Citing the sheriff's office, the station reports this isn't the first time Ivy has been accused of leaving a child in a hot car.

The CPSO says the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services previously accused her of leaving her first child unattended in her vehicle in 2019. She pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of criminal mischief in that case, according to WAFB.

Chief Deputy Gary Guillory told WAFB that DCFS was involved in that case and "the mother voluntarily gave us that baby before the state had to get involved. That baby was given to a family member, so there was never another follow-up."

In addition to the murder charge, Ivy has also been charged with possession of marijuana. A judge set her bail at $1.2 million.

It wasn't immediately clear if she retained an attorney or entered a plea to the charges.