North Carolina – In a tragic case that has shaken North Carolina residents, a 59-year-old woman, identified as D. Bostick, is facing criminal charges after her 7-month-old foster daughter died from heatstroke after being left alone in a hot vehicle. Authorities say Bostick left the baby in the vehicle for an undetermined length of time as temperatures soared into the 90s.
Bostick was arrested and charged with involuntary manslaughter and negligent child abuse by a willful act or omission causing serious bodily injury, according to the police department. The arrest came after first responders were called to a medical emergency at a residence around 6 p.m. on June 9. When officers arrived, they discovered the infant unresponsive and learned she had been left in a parked minivan in dangerous heat. The baby was rushed to a nearby hospital, but medical staff were unable to revive her. The official cause of death was hyperthermia, a condition that occurs when the body absorbs more heat than it can release, and is commonly fatal in young children left in vehicles under extreme temperatures.
The incident sparked grief and disbelief throughout the local community. Neighbors and those who knew Bostick expressed difficulty accepting the reality of the tragedy. “She loved this baby,” said L. McDonald, a local resident who knows Bostick, in an interview with local new sources. “I just don’t see her as being one of those who just left her and not realized she was there. It’s just hard to believe.”
But police say Bostick admitted to leaving the baby in the van for an unknown amount of time, and that temperatures reached over 90 degrees that day. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, even with a window cracked, temperatures inside a car can rise nearly 20 degrees in just 10 minutes — creating deadly conditions, especially for infants. Bostick was booked into the county jail following her arrest, where she was held on a $500,000 secured bond. She was released the following day, June 10, after posting bond and has been appointed an attorney. She is scheduled to return to court on June 23 for a preliminary hearing.
This case adds to the growing national crisis of children dying in hot cars. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, more than 1,000 children have died in similar circumstances since 1998. On average, 40 children die every year from heatstroke related to being left or trapped in vehicles. J. Fennell, founder of the national advocacy group Kids and Car Safety, emphasized that most of these deaths are unintentional and don’t always involve neglect or substance abuse. Still, she said, the consequences are devastating and avoidable. Her group reported 41 hot car deaths in 2024, and six so far in 2025, warning that the summer months are particularly dangerous. Experts continue to push for mandatory occupant detection technology in all new vehicles, which could alert drivers to the presence of children or pets in the back seat.
The police department has not yet disclosed how long the baby was left in the car or the circumstances that led to her being forgotten. The case remains under active investigation, with authorities working to determine whether this was a tragic lapse in judgment or something more serious. Until then, the community continues to mourn the death of the 7-month-old girl — a life that ended far too soon. Advocates hope this heartbreaking incident will raise awareness and urgency in preventing similar tragedies in the future. Bostick, now out on bond, awaits her court appearance later this month as prosecutors build their case in what is expected to be a closely followed legal proceeding.
