Olayiwola Matthew
A Nigerian mother, identified as Gbemisola Akayinode, has been arrested and charged with felony murder after her nine-year-old daughter, Oluwasikemi, was found dead inside a hot car in Galena park, Texas, United States.
Reports said the 36-year-old left her child in her car while she went to work in a factory where industrial and building products are manufactured.
It was learnt that she lowered the back windows halfway and left her daughter with food, a fan, water, and ice cubes, and gave her melatonin to help her sleep.
In a post shared on Instagram, Akayinode confessed that she stayed inside the office and did not check on her daughter until after her eight-hour shift was over, because she was too busy.
When she left work, she found the child unresponsive and screamed for help.
Her daughter was taken to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Reports from the medical examiner’s office indicated that the young girl’s body temperature was 108 degrees, adding that her cause of death was hyperthermia.
Consequently, Akayinode was arrested and she admitted it wasn’t the first time she left her daughter alone in the car while she went to work.
She claimed she couldn’t pay for daycare until she received her paycheck.
A coworker was said to have claimed he was helping her with money because he knew she was struggling to make ends meet.
When asked if she had checked the weather or if she knew how hot it was going to be outside, Akayinode had reportedly claimed she didn’t and that it slipped her mind.
She appeared in court for the first time early Sunday morning.
According to online jail records, Akayinode is due back in court on Monday.
Her bond is set at $500,000.
Reactions have trailed behind the incident with many advocating the need to show more care and concern to fellow humans who can be colleagues, neighbors, friends, family or country nationals.
“It’s sad how far we’ve drifted from the true meaning of sisterhood. What happened to the community of women helping women? What happened to looking out for one another, to watching each other’s kids, to sharing meals, laughter, and wisdom?
“There was a time when women stood as a circle of strength, when no one was left alone to struggle or feel unseen.
“But somewhere along the line, we became too busy, too guarded, too disconnected. We forgot that our power has always been in unity, not competition.
“Maybe it’s time we find our way back to compassion, to community, to genuine care for one another again,” a commenter wrote.
Another Nigerian commented: “I cried watching this story last night because it could have been anyone of us and she is in jail at the moment with a $500K bond and she will need 10% of that to get out. Our community needs to do better. Odunmi gan.”
“No break within the 8hrs to check on the child?”
Another commenter expressed disappointment over the decision of the mother to leave the child by herself.