A tragic incident unfolded in Florida, resulting in the arrest of a mother after her 11-month-old baby lost her life. Regrettably, the child was unintentionally left unattended in a hot vehicle for approximately three hours while her mother conducted a church service.
Bulaine Molme, a 37-year-old Florida resident and co-pastor of Mount of Olives Evangelical Church in Palm Bay, was taken into custody and charged with felony child manslaughter following the heartbreaking incident.
Authorities were alerted four days earlier when they received reports of an unresponsive child at the church. Upon arrival, they discovered that the infant had been left in her mother’s car while the family attended the Sunday service.
Investigation revealed that Molme arrived late for her designated service and mistakenly believed that a member of the congregation had taken her daughter inside. It was only after the service ended that she realized her child was still in the vehicle. She hurried to the car to find her 11-month-old unresponsive in her car seat, told NY Post.
First responders immediately administered CPR and rushed the baby to Palm Bay Community Hospital. Despite their efforts, the child was pronounced dead. On the day of the incident, the temperature in Palm Bay reached 81 degrees Fahrenheit. Even at a mild exterior temperature of 75 degrees, a car’s internal temperature can soar to a dangerous 105 degrees, as stated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
It’s important to note that a child’s body temperature can rise three to five times faster than that of an adult, leading to heatstroke when the core temperature reaches 104 degrees. Molme was released from jail after posting a $15,000 bond. She and her husband, Pastor Jnmarc Molme, originally from Haiti, founded Mount of Olives Church in 2018. The couple has three older children.
This heartbreaking incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of leaving children unattended in vehicles, particularly in hot weather conditions. The local community mourns the loss of the innocent child, and the family faces immense grief during this difficult time.
