Jeannie Rose Golden
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CANDID ID: PA_23_380
AGE
Infant
STATE
Pennsylvania
DATE OF DEATH
10/4/2023
DEATH RECORDS
Not Available
STATE REPORTS
Not Available
SUMMARY OF DEATH
Three-month-old Jeannie Rose Golden died on October 4, 2023, after being left unattended in a closed Nissan Altima parked in direct sunlight with temperatures exceeding 80 degrees in West Hempfield Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Her mother, Emily Rose Weaver, 32, had used methamphetamine and was found passed out and unresponsive in a second-floor bedroom by her stepfather and another person who came to check on her after she failed to pick up her other children from school. When Weaver was awakened, she could not locate her infant daughter; the stepfather found the child unresponsive in a car seat in the vehicle around 4:30 p.m. The child was pronounced dead at 7:08 p.m. The coroner determined the cause of death was asphyxia due to hyperthermia and ruled the manner of death a homicide. Weaver was charged with third-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter, and child endangerment, and was held without bail. She had an extensive prior criminal history and a documented history of drug addiction, with Lancaster County Children and Youth having conducted multiple investigations between 2019 and 2023 that resulted in Weaver relinquishing parental rights to her two older children in 2021.
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 child was left unattended in a vehicle while the mother was passed out from drug use. The fox43 article states the child was "left unattended in a parked vehicle Wednesday afternoon." The LancasterOnline article states Weaver "left her outside in a car on the driveway for hours while she was passed out inside the house after using meth."

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 fox43 article states: "All of the vehicle's doors and windows were closed ... The car was parked in direct sunlight, with Wednesday's high temperatures exceeding 80 degrees." The LancasterOnline article similarly states: "The Nissan Altima was parked in direct sunlight and the outside temperature was over 80 degrees ... The doors and windows were closed." The fox43 article also notes: "The preliminary indication is that the child died of environmental exposure."

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?

Emily Rose Weaver is the biological mother of Jeannie Rose Golden and was directly responsible for the child's death by leaving her in a hot car while she was passed out from methamphetamine use. The fox43 article states she was "charged with third-degree homicide following the death of her three-month-old child, who was left unattended in a parked vehicle." The LancasterOnline article states: "her mother left her outside in a car on the driveway for hours while she was passed out inside the house after using meth."

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)

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)?

The LancasterOnline article states: "Lancaster County Children and Youth had 'multiple investigations between 2019 and 2023 involving Ms. Weaver's drug related activity which resulted (in) Ms. Weaver relinquishing parental rights in 2021 of her two other children.'" The fox43 article also notes: "Weaver relinquished parental rights toward her other two children in 2021, according to investigators." These prior CPS investigations involved Weaver's other children (siblings to the deceased).

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?

Emily Rose Weaver was charged for the child's death. The fox43 article states: "Emily Rose Weaver, 32, was charged Wednesday night following an investigation of her child's death ... Weaver is charged with involuntary manslaughter and endangering the welfare of a child." The LancasterOnline article states: "Emily Rose Weaver, 32, of West Hempfield Township, is charged with third-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter and child endangerment. She is being held at Lancaster County Prison without bail."

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?

The fox43 article details Weaver's extensive prior criminal history: "She was charged with endangering the welfare of a child by Millersville Boro Police in 2018, pleaded guilty to five misdemeanor drug offenses and a summary traffic violation in 2019, and was sentenced to three years of probation after pleading guilty to robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery and endangering the welfare of a child in 2018." These are all prior to the current fatal incident.

Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?

Both articles extensively document Weaver's drug use. The fox43 article states: "Weaver allegedly admitted to using methamphetamine twice between Sunday and Wednesday" and notes "witnesses were aware of Weaver's history of drug addiction." The LancasterOnline article states: "she was passed out inside the house after using meth" and quotes police about "multiple investigations between 2019 and 2023 involving Ms. Weaver's drug related activity." The LancasterOnline article also notes "Weaver failed to maintain sobriety and did not adhere to safety plans implemented by the agency."

Notable Details

There are significant systemic issues described in the text. Despite Lancaster County Children and Youth having "multiple investigations between 2019 and 2023 involving Ms. Weaver's drug related activity," and despite Weaver relinquishing parental rights to her two other children in 2021, she still had custody of this 3-month-old infant. The LancasterOnline article further notes that during CYS involvement, "Weaver failed to maintain sobriety and did not adhere to safety plans implemented by the agency." Additionally, there is a discrepancy between the two documents on the cause of death: the fox43 article states "asphyxia due to hypothermia" while the LancasterOnline article states "asphyxia due to hyperthermia." Given the circumstances (hot car, direct sunlight, 80+ degrees), hyperthermia is the medically consistent cause; the fox43 article likely contains a typographical error.

Lives Cut Short