Day Care Student Left in Sweltering Van Dies
August 16, 2001
A two-year-old Florida girl died as a result of a daycare worker's failure to count the children under her care. Gail Besemer forgot to count heads when her Abundant Life Academy of Learning van unloaded the students. Two-year-old Zaniyah Hinson was left inside the sweltering van. Zaniyah went undiscovered until her mother arrived two and a half hours later. The temperature inside the Chevrolet Astro van reached 125 degrees.
Upon discovering her daughter alone in the van, Zaniyah's mother frantically called 911. Paramedics were unable to revive the girl and she was rushed to a local hospital where she later died.
The Florida Department of Children & Family Services (DCF) is investigating Zaniyah's death. The DCF requested that the day care close until the agency's investigation is complete. Day care officials refused. As a religious-based organization, the Abundant Life Academy of Learning is exempt from state licensing requirements.
The Florida League of Christian Schools, a part of the Assemblies of God organization, supervises the school and is conducting a separate internal investigation.
-- Article Courtesy of InjuryBoard.com
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