Chyasia Evans, a 14-month-old girl, died on July 31, 2023, after her 54-year-old grandmother forgot to drop her off at a day care center in Smithtown, Long Island, and instead went to work, leaving the child strapped in her car seat in the back of a 2018 Jeep Cherokee for approximately eight hours. When the grandmother later went to pick the child up from day care, she realized her mistake. First responders were called at 4:20 p.m. and found the child's body temperature was 106 degrees amid an outside temperature of 83°F. Chyasia was taken to Saint Catherine of Siena Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead. No charges had been filed as of the reporting date, and the investigation was ongoing.
Contexts/Conditions
Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or overdose?
Is there any mention of a drowning incident (either intentional or accidental)?
Is there any mention of a firearm incident?
Is there any mention of inappropriate supervision (e.g., child wandered off and drowned)?
The grandmother was responsible for dropping the child off at day care but forgot, leaving the child unattended in a vehicle for eight hours. The NY Post reports: "The tot's 54-year-old grandmother forgot to drop her off at a day care center in Smithtown Monday morning and instead headed to work, leaving her granddaughter in her car seat in the back." This represents a clear failure of appropriate supervision.
Is there any mention of inflicted injury? (e.g. slapped, punched, kicked, choked)
Is there any mention of malnutrition, starvation, or dehydration?
Is there any mention of medical neglect?
Is there any mention of a motor vehicle crash or incident?
Is there any mention of a murder-suicide incident?
Is there any mention of outdoor elements (including hot car deaths)?
This is a hot car death. The NY Post article states the child "died after being left in a hot Jeep for eight hours" and "her body temperature was measured at a scorching 106 degrees." The Fox10 article states: "A 14-month-old girl died after her grandmother left her unattended in a hot car in New York for eight hours." The outside temperature was 83°F and the Fox10 article notes "temperatures inside a car can reach much higher."
Is there any mention of prenatal substance exposure (including fetal alcohol syndrome or neonatal abstinence syndrome)?
Is there any mention of sexual abuse?
Is there any specific mention of shaken baby or abusive head trauma?
Is there any mention of prolonged abuse or torture (including restraints, captivity)?
Is there any mention of an unsafe sleeping environment?
Individuals Involved
Was an adoptive parent or guardian involved in the death?
Was a biological father involved in the death?
Was a biological mother involved in the death?
Was a day care worker, babysitter, or nanny involved in the death?
Was a female paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., girlfriend, stepmother)?
Was a foster parent involved in the death?
Was a male paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., boyfriend, stepfather)?
Was another adult relative involved in the death? (e.g., grandfather, aunt)
The child's 54-year-old grandmother was directly responsible for the child's death. The NY Post states: "The tot's 54-year-old grandmother forgot to drop her off at a day care center in Smithtown Monday morning and instead headed to work, leaving her granddaughter in her car seat in the back." The Fox10 article confirms: "The 54-year-old grandmother forgot to drop the toddler off at a day care center."
Was a sibling involved in the death?
Child Characteristics
Was the child adopted?
Was the child homeschooled (including "cyberschooling") or taken out of school?
Was the child in foster care at the time of the incident?
Was the child living with relatives at the time of the incident (but not parents)?
Is there any mention of a neurological developmental child disability? (e.g., autism, intellectual disability, nonverbal)
Is there any mention of a physical child disability? (e.g., feeding tube)
Is there any mention of prematurity or low birthweight?
Is there a history of child protection reports prior to death (for this child or siblings)?
Does the child have a history of foster care (but not in care at time of incident)?
Is there a history of a sibling death (separate incident from this death)?
Parent/Caregiver Factors
Was an adult charged or arrested for the child's death?
Is domestic violence by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is there any mention that the death occurred in a temporary shelter or while homeless?
Is an intellectual disability of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is the mental health of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is a history of arrests or criminal charges for the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Notable Details
The NY Post article notes a potential systemic failure: "The aunt also claimed that her niece's day care never called the family to alert them that Chyasia had not been dropped off that day." This suggests a policy gap at the day care center — had the day care notified the family of the child's absence, the grandmother's mistake could have been discovered and the child potentially saved. Additionally, the Fox10/AP article provides broader context noting that "About 40 children die of heatstroke in the United States every year after being left or becoming trapped in a car, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation," framing this as part of a recurring systemic issue.
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