Autopsy: Two children left alone in car died in trunk after passing out
By Andy Paras , Glenn Smith
Shawn Campbell, Jr. 3, left, and Triniti Campbell.
HANAHAN — Two children left alone in a car outside their mother's James Island workplace crawled into the trunk and passed out before dying from heat exposure on that steamy July day, according to an autopsy report obtained today by The Post and Courier.
Shawn Campbell Jr., 4, and Triniti Campbell, 1, were left in a Chevrolet Cavalier by their mother on July 29 in an unshaded area outside Dana House, a residential care facility at 1402 Kentwood Circle. The children's mother, Sametta Heyward, provided them with food, water and battery-operated fans, according to a report prepared by a pathologist at the Medical University of South Carolina.
The temperature that day was 88 degrees.
Heyward, who arrived at work at 3 p.m., has said she checked on the children at some later time and found them to be fine. But a co-worker questioned by authorities didn't recall Heyward leaving the building, the report stated.
At some point during the day, the children crawled from the back seat into the trunk. Heyward found them there, unresponsive, when she left work around 11:45 p.m., authorities said.
The pathologist's report notes that one child car seat was found in the Cavalier, but it was not secured. The car's child safety locks also were not secured. It was unclear whether the windows were rolled up all the way, the report stated.
A relative told investigators Heyward tried CPR on the children, but when it didn't work, she drove them back to their extended-stay room at The Willows on Remount Road, Hanahan police said. She gave each child a bath, dressed them and then put them in garbage bags beneath the sink, he said.
Investigators found the children under the sink the next day.
Heyward, 27, is charged with two counts of homicide by child abuse. She wrote in a suicide note that she had to take the children with her to work because she couldn't find anyone to watch them. She wrote that she wanted to check on them but was afraid she would get in trouble. Heyward was employed by the Charleston County Disabilities Board.
She remains at Hill-Finklea Detention Center in Moncks Corner.
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halfsheli (anonymous) says...
How is it possible that there is ANYbody in the world that does not understand that if you leave your children in a hot car for 8 hours, they will probably die? This is like those situations where mom left he baby alone in the bathtub for (just a second) to turn off the oven -- or whatever -- and then came back surprised that baby drowned.
September 12, 2007 at 1:18 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Mon_Kie (anonymous) says...
When we first heard about this story there were questions asked about how there could have been two children alone in a car, parked in front of what was essentially a residence (converted to business) on James Island.
Now we find out that the children were in the trunk.
We are expected to believe that the children, who couldn't open the door, somehow managed to climb from the interior, to the trunk...by themselves...unnoticed by passersby....yeah, right. I think the next thing we need to hear is the results of the toxicology tests on these children. It might turn out that they got a double dose of Tylenol PM to keep them from stirring, or escaping from the vehicle.
September 12, 2007 at 1:56 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
halfsheli (anonymous) says...
I will never stopped being awed and appalled at the atrocities that parents perpetrate onto their own children.
September 12, 2007 at 1:58 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
stephaniem (anonymous) says...
I am still trying to figure out this:
The children's mother, Sametta Heyward, provided them with food, water and battery-operated fans, according to a report prepared by a pathologist at the Medical University of South Carolina.
So, Andy is a pathologist?
September 12, 2007 at 6:52 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
JonWithnal (anonymous) says...
"She gave each child a bath, dressed them and then put them in garbage bags beneath the sink." As we all know, this is a traditional Remount Road burial ritual.
September 12, 2007 at 7:06 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Reesie (anonymous) says...
For all of you who live in ivory towers with LOTS, food, money and choices, good for you! If this woman has two kids, lives in an extended stay hotel and works for county government (probably making barely minimum wage), she doesn't have an MBA, nor does she have a lot of choices. There is no excuse for what she did, but more than likely she did it to put food on the table and keep a roof over their heads. As this proceeds through the court systems, I bet we hear she had excessive absences due to illness of her children (little buggers had the the GALL to get ear infections or stomach bugs). She was probably terrified of losing her job. Then they'd be LIVING in that car.
As for the cleaning and the dressing, she just realized she'd killed her children. She just want to show her love for them in the only way she could. I daresay I'd go absolutely MAD if I was somehow responsible for any harm to my children.
There is a dire need for affordable, flexible child care in this country and until we recognize that and DO SOMETHING about it, the working class will be left with a few poor choices for their children. Then who will you have to clean your toilets and care for your ill????
Was it a stupid thing to do? No doubt.
Did she have a lot of choices? Probably not.
God rest their precious souls and forgive their mother her sins.
September 12, 2007 at 9:29 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
stephaniem (anonymous) says...
andy wears really nice suits....better than the other lawyers.
I snuck into his last murder trial and everyone was trying to figure out who I was or why I was there. He did a wonderful performance. I am glad he is one of those married to an older lady. She is beautiful but not a kept teen.
September 12, 2007 at 10:55 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
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