Child left in car dies of suffocation

MANILA, Philippines — An 8-year-old girl accidentally left by her family inside a car was found dead on Wednesday.

Reports said the police determined the death was due to suffocation.

The 8-year-old girl residing in Baseco, Tondo, Manila was accidentally left by her family sleeping inside the car after they went to a mall.

The girl's stepmother, Joan Papa, said that they borrowed a vehicle to go strolling in a mall on Tuesday evening. She said there were 10 passengers including her and her stepdaughter who rode inside the vehicle.

Papa said the mall visit was her promise to the children. They returned home around 3 a.m.

She said she checked all the passengers before returning the car to the owner. However, they noticed later on that the 8-year-old girl was missing.

After hours of searching, the family then asked the passenger seated beside the missing child and the passenger replied that she was last seen sleeping before they alighted the car. When they checked the vehicle, they found the girl already dead.

“Sabi ko ‘nakababa na ba lahat?’ Sabi nila ‘nakababa na po, ma.’ Wala po kaming nakitang naiwan, iiwanan ko ba yung anak ko?” Papa said in an Unang Hirit report.

According to authorities, the driver of the vehicle may be charged with negligence resulting to homicide for leaving the child inside the car. — Rosette Adel