SALT LAKE CITY -- A Salt Lake City mother of seven unfortunately knows all too well what a Hurricane family is going through following the death of their 11-month-old daughter after she was left in a hot car.
“I wish I could tell that family that it will get better but it won’t, they will always miss their little girl forever and it’s always going to hurt every single day,” said Beth Brown.
On June 28, 2007 Brown’s 3-month-old daughter, Amberlee, was accidentally left in the family car by her husband outside their Arizona home.
“The car seat was behind the driver’s seat, and she fell asleep, and he forgot that she was with him,” Brown said.
According to Brown, her husband was inside the house for about an hour, getting ready for work, when he realized what he had done.
“I said, ‘where did you put the baby’ he said, ‘what’ and I said, ‘where did you put the baby’ and he was confused and he said, ‘oh my gosh get the car keys,’” Brown said.
Amberlee was still alive as she was air lifted to the hospital, but died 13 hours later.
“He feels horrible, I’d like to say he’s not responsible, he did not choose this I do not blame him, but I know internally he hurts and he’s going to hurt every day for the rest of his life,” Brown said.
Brown said the backlash from the local community was painful. The Browns moved to Utah for family support.
“They say things like we should not be allowed to have children, they should take our kids away, they should prosecute us,” Brown said. “This is just something that can happen, it’s not a choice, it’s not a bad parenting move, it just happens -- it’s a fault in our brain with all the tasks we’re faced with in society today.”
No charges were filed against Brown’s husband, while in Hurricane, the family of Skyah Suwyn awaits their own legal fate.
According to police, a family member found the girl in the car Friday afternoon. It was parked near Main Street and 300 North. The temperature was 93 degrees at the time. When police arrived the baby was not breathing and was unresponsive.
“A lot of people I feel are charged when there is no rhyme or reason to it,” Brown said. “Charging them is not going to help anything it’s going to ruin their family even more and they are already struggling for an eternity.”
The Hurricane community has raised more than $15,000 for the family of Skyah Suwyn.
