A 6-year-old Tennessee girl died in a horrifying hot-car tragedy after she was allegedly left trapped inside a daycare bus for hours — with her father saying her internal body temperature reached a staggering 109 degrees.
Winter Jones was found inside a vehicle at Kid University in Cordova, near Memphis, shortly after 3 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 13, according to police and local reports.
By the time help arrived, it was too late.
Memphis Police said officers responded to an ambulance call in the 700 block of Walnut Knoll Lane at about 3:23 p.m. and learned that the 6-year-old had already been rushed to a hospital after being discovered inside a vehicle.
Winter was later pronounced dead.
Her devastated father, Bryan Jones, told WREG that his daughter’s internal temperature had climbed to 109 degrees.
The outside temperature was reportedly around 97 degrees when Winter was discovered.
Adding to the horror, Winter’s family said the little girl had autism and was nonverbal, leaving her unable to call for help or tell anyone she had been forgotten.
“She really couldn’t let anybody know that she was still on the bus,” her uncle Christopher Jones told WMC. “She couldn’t advocate for herself at all.”
According to WHBQ-TV, daycare workers allegedly did not realize Winter was missing until they returned to the bus at the end of the day.
Her family is now demanding answers about how a child could apparently remain unnoticed inside the vehicle for so long.
“Somehow the ball was dropped,” Christopher said, according to WREG.
Exactly how long Winter was inside the bus remains under investigation.
The Tennessee Department of Child Services confirmed that it is involved in the case, while the state Department of Human Services issued condolences to Winter’s family.
“We are aware of the tragic incident that occurred at Kid University yesterday regarding the death of a child,” the department said in a statement obtained by WHBQ-TV. “We extend our deepest and most heartfelt condolences to the child’s family and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time.”
Officials also urged parents, caregivers and childcare providers to be especially cautious during extreme heat and to always check vehicles before walking away.
Kid University did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment, and WREG reported that the daycare’s website was no longer active.
Police said no charges had been filed as of Friday and that the investigation into Winter’s death remains ongoing.
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