GUILTY CO - Jasmine, 5, & Nathan Mendieta, 2, die in hot car, Castle Rock, 20 Aug 2008

[fran]

There's another case just like this out of Kansas. A three and four yo. Same scenario, one in the front and one in the back. The Kansas case, it wasn't as hot as in this one. This one, IIRC it was 89 and the Kansas case it was in the mid to upper 70's. But you park a closed up car in the sun and it can easily be 25 to 30 degrees hotter inside.

I believe this was just a tragic accident. My thoughts and prayers go to this family. I'm sure they are absolutely devastated by this tragedy.

JMHO
fran

PS...This is ANOTHER wake up call, don't leave your car unlocked!

 

[Tony Bennett]

[Over here for a brief visit, normally only on the Madeleine McCann thread].

One report quoted by another poster said this:

QUOTE

Officials remained tight-lipped about the condition of the bodies, and it still wasn't known whether they died because the inside of the car got hot or because of something else.

UNQUOTE

Whilst also reserving judgment until we have the autopsy report, I note the following:

1. Bodies found in mother's car

2. Mother reports children missing when her children are in her car outside the home where she is living with her parents and children

3. The mother wants to start a new life with an internet contact (!*?!*?) in Kuwait (!*?!*?!*?!*?)

4. Both grandparents were out at work at the time (I think) - certainly the grandfather was, as the mother (Stacy) 'phoned him to ask where the children were

5. The children were in the mother's car a few yards away from her 'phone when she telephoned the police.

6. The divorced father is described by the grandparents - I assume for the moment this to be true - as 'out of the picture'.

PROVISIONAL CONCLUSION:

Murdered by their own mother. Premeditated

IMO

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

[Thrs0806]

There's another case just like this out of Kansas. A three and four yo. Same scenario, one in the front and one in the back. The Kansas case, it wasn't as hot as in this one. This one, IIRC it was 89 and the Kansas case it was in the mid to upper 70's. But you park a closed up car in the sun and it can easily be 25 to 30 degrees hotter inside.

I believe this was just a tragic accident. My thoughts and prayers go to this family. I'm sure they are absolutely devastated by this tragedy.

JMHO
fran

PS...This is ANOTHER wake up call, don't leave your car unlocked!

HI Fran!

I thought it was the same case for a minute!! I had to go back and check the other thread to see. Strange that these 2 cases and so similar. Both outside their homes, both involve 2 children - one in front and one in back and both involve older pre-schoolers who we all agree should be able to escape from a closed car.

 

[fran]

HI Fran!

I thought it was the same case for a minute!! I had to go back and check the other thread to see. Strange that these 2 cases and so similar. Both outside their homes, both involve 2 children - one in front and one in back and both involve older pre-schoolers who we all agree should be able to escape from a closed car.

Hi!

It's really weird having two almost identical cases, just in different states. I think they're both just tragic accidents.

The kids got into the car while playing and it doesn't seem it takes that long to be overcome. Most likely just started getting sleepy and quickly went into unconsciousness.

Both families and communities must be second guessing themselves on how they could have each prevented these tragedies. I really do NOT suspect foul play in either case. Not that they shouldn't check all avenues, but I don't believe they'll find anything different than an accident.

JMHO
fran

 

[Tony Bennett]

More information in this AP report published on Tuesday:

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hey9SvH6WC8nPawdXzssv4eze3AAD92PG76O0

Note that the doors were found unlocked.

This strengthens my view that this was premeditated murder by the mother

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

[SewingDeb]

Tony, in your link they say the girl was to turn 4 next month and the boy had just turned 3. It is odd that the car was unlocked and they were still unable to get out. I would think they could blow the horn at that age. I know my children could.

 

[warrkat]

Tony, in your link they say the girl was to turn 4 next month and the boy had just turned 3. It is odd that the car was unlocked and they were still unable to get out. I would think they could blow the horn at that age. I know my children could.

It also says that the children were in their own driveway (in an unlocked car). It took TWO hours to find them after she reported them missing..... two hours to find them in their own driveway.

What am I missing?

 

[SewingDeb]

Yeah, it does make you wonder. I hope this was an accident.

 

[warrkat]

Yeah, it does make you wonder. I hope this was an accident.

Even if it was an accident, wouldn't police check the car first? It's only common sense, given the number of kids who die in hot cars..... almost every day. jmo

 

[Filly]

Stacey's Myspace. It's private but reads "Here but not for much longer".





http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=57764219

 

[Filly]

Never underestimate a 5 yr. old.


As an aside...I remember playing in my parent's cars when I was a kid. And we had an old VW that wasn't running, and used to play in that, too.

See, and that was something we were forbidden to do. We weren't even allowed to climb in the car as we waited for our parents to come out when we were going somewhere.

Unfortunately a few years ago in Camden, New Jersey children climbed into a trunk of a car that wasn't running in their backyard and died. I recall my father saying "See, see that? That's why you all were never allowed to play in a car. A car isn't a da*n playground". Not saying you are alone in that you could do that, CG. I know plenty of kids that did. I think it came out of being raised by a cop who saw way too much of what can happen.

 

[DenverMom]

http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_10336541

What a tragedy. Prayers for the family.

 

[southcitymom]

http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_10336541

What a tragedy. Prayers for the family.

Thanks for this update, DenverMom. Welcome to WS.

More and more this looks like a terrible tragedy - had there been some prior physical incapacitation of the children before they were put into the car, I feel like an autopsy would have revealed it. Having read about so many of these cases, it really seems like hyperthermia can happen much more quickly than I would have initially suspected.

I agree with Filly that a car is not a playground, but my kids were attracted to cars as playgrounds like moths to a flame - and I have to admit, we would let them play in it when we were around to supervise.

I really think these kids might have been play hiding and fallen asleep. Most 5-year-olds could exit a car of they wanted to.

 

[Salem]

I'm not giving it up just yet. Why were the kids on the floor? The girl on the floor in front and the boy on the floor in back. If the kids were uncomfortable, why were they not on the seat near the door? I don't get it.....

Prayers to the family and may the little ones rest in peace,

Salem

 

[texasgirl]

Oh no! Not another one!!

These stories make me so sad y'all....RIP sweet babies!

 

[Chicogirl36]

I have watched too many MSNBC Investigative reports about meeting people on line. WHY would she bring her 5 and 2 year old to KUWAIT to meet an on-line lover? I hate saying this, but these two babies could have been in danger going there also.

WHY would she bring her kids? I dont understand-

I must be too protective of a parent- My bad.....

I hope this was a simple mistake, but my hinky meter is up on this one!

 

[tapu]

I'm not giving it up just yet. Why were the kids on the floor? The girl on the floor in front and the boy on the floor in back. If the kids were uncomfortable, why were they not on the seat near the door? I don't get it.....

Prayers to the family and may the little ones rest in peace,

Salem

Heat rises.

 

[Filly]

I agree with Filly that a car is not a playground, but my kids were attracted to cars as playgrounds like moths to a flame -

That's the key, SCM. If we were attracted to something my Pop's shot it down pronto. As always, SCM your honesty amazes me.

It's so sad about this brother and sister.

 

[Salem]

Interesting fact sheet on vehicle hyperthermia deaths:

http://ggweather.com/heat/

Salem

 

[Tony Bennett]

From a report on www.9news.com/news:

QUOTE:

Neighbors say the children's mother, 28-year-old Stacey Mendieta, works at night and was at home in the afternoon of Aug. 20 with the kids.

The call police originally received was a report of two missing children.

However, it didn't take officers long to find the two kids inside what neighbors say was their mother's car.

After the children were found, Cocha Heyden with the Douglas County Sheriff's Office said, "How'd they get in the car? When they got in the car? How long they'd been in the car?"

UNQUOTE

I maintain that this is most likely to have been deliberate murder and premeditated.

But on reading the above I concede it is just about possible for the children to have got into the car while their mother was asleep and they perhaps fainted due to the heat after they were in there for a while. ASnd then became dehydrated.

I note the report says "the mother was at home in the afternoon of Aug. 20 with the kids".

I would add that these are very good questions: "How'd they get in the car? When they got in the car? How long they'd been in the car?"

I hope the dead kids' mother has got some very good answers.

I would have thought that a prosecution for child neglect was the absolute minimum here

---------------------------------------------------------------------------