Autopsy: Toddler died of heatstroke Charges still possible in death of Lehigh boy By SHARON TURCO, sturco@news-press.com A Lehigh Acres toddler died of heatstroke after being trapped in a minivan under the scorching afternoon sun for more than five hours, according to an autopsy.
Daniel McCray, who died Sunday, would have turned 2 Aug. 10. TRAGIC LOSS: Reiko Ginac, grandmother of Daniel McCray, 23 months, reacts in her Fort Myers home to news of how Daniel died Sunday of heatstroke. (GARY R. ULIK/news-press.com) Click on image to enlarge.
District 21 Medical Examiner Dr. Doug Kelley ruled the death accidental during an autopsy Monday.
Jo Ann and David McCray thought another child brought Daniel inside after church and put him down for a nap, according to the family’s attorney, Michael Hornung.
Instead, Daniel was left behind in the car.
“Daniel was trapped in there,” said Lee Lt. Barry Futch. “He couldn’t get the door open; he was too young.”
The McCrays found him lying under a seat, his eyes closed, his arms out with his hands clenched near his head, according to a Lee County sheriff’s report. The McCrays called for medical help, but he was already dead.
“I know they would never have done this on purpose,” said Reiko Ginac, Daniel’s maternal grandmother.911 transcript Read text of mother’s frantic call.
“This was a terrible tragedy,” Hornung said.
The Florida Department of Children & Families is investigating the accident along side the sheriff’s office, said Lee Cpl. Ryan Bell.
The department spokeswoman could not be reached for comment Monday night.
A temperature sensor at Page Field showed area afternoon temperatures reached 94 degrees Sunday, said Richard Rude, a forecaster for the National Weather Service.
That’s hot — but it’s worse inside a car.
In less than 10 minutes under those conditions the inside of a vehicle can reach 100 degrees. In a half hour the temperature can climb another 20 degrees, according to statistics from the National SAFE KIDS campaign.
It is not known how long Daniel lived, Kelley said.
Although the death was not intentional, the McCrays can still be charged for their son’s death, Futch said.
“Charges are possible,” Futch said. “No matter what, there was still some responsibility here.”
The McCrays and their five children returned to their 4111 Seventh St. W. house from Emmanuel Baptist Church at 1 p.m. Sunday, parking in the driveway and going straight inside, according to a report.
Daniel was sitting in a child seat in the rear of the minivan when he was left behind, Futch said.
It is not known if the toddler attempted to get out on his own.
“He may have gotten worn out from trying to get out, I don’t know,” Futch said.
A sheriff’s report says that during the hours Daniel was missing, the family went about their daily routine.
Hornung elaborated saying the family was returning from church, the first time since Jo Ann McCray suffered a late term miscarriage two weeks earlier.
“She was extremely upset regarding that,” Hornung said. “After church she was feeling extremely depressed.”
The couple and their four other children laid down together for a nap.
“The older children had notified them that everyone was out of the minivan,” Hornung said. “It was a horrible mistake.”
It wasn’t until 6 p.m., as the McCrays were getting ready to return to church, they noticed Daniel was missing, Futch said.
They found him in the car, immediately calling 911 for help.
In a recording of the 911 call, Jo Ann McCray, 37, explains what happened:
• 911 operator: Do you have him right now?
• Jo Ann McCray: He’s dead, he’s very dead. We got him in the house, but he died.
• 911 operator: How long was he in the van?
• Jo Ann McCray: About five hours. We all thought somebody else brought him in. He was sleeping when we got home. We all thought somebody else brought him in and laid him down.
• 911 operator: Ma’am, was the van running?
• Jo Ann McCray: No it was not.
Hornung said the Florida Department of Children & Families has made the situation worse, threatening to take away the couple’s other four children, ages 5 to 14.
“They’ve even threatened to get warrants to take custody of the children,” Hornung said.
Bell said he doesn’t think the children are in danger.
“I have no concern about the children being harmed,” Bell said, adding that the department is doing its own investigation.
“They are better trained to judge the situation,” Bell said.
The family has had no prior contact with the department, Hornung said.
“The last thing this family needs is to have their other children taken away,” Hornung said. “If the sheriff’s office is satisfied the children are not in harm’s way, children and family services should back off.”