UPDATE: Toddler left in day-care van died from heat exposure
Richmond Police Department
A preliminary hearing was set for Aug. 4 for Keishawn L. Whitfield, 23.
Published: July 7, 2009
Updated: July 7, 2009
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A 13-month-old boy left in a day-care van yesterday died from heat exposure, the state medical examiner’s office said this afternoon.
Earlier today, a 23-year-old Richmond man was arraigned on a charge of felony child neglect in connection with the death of Andrew Johnson.
Keishawn L. Whitfield, an employee of the Yellow Brick Road Day Care & Learning Center in the 2000 block of Fourth Avenue, was arraigned by video in front of Richmond Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Judge Richard B. Campbell. The judge set bond at $20,000, and defense attorney John W. Luxton said his client, who is being held in the city lockup, likely would be freed later today.
Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney Michael L. Herring said his office will consider whether to upgrade the charge against Whitfield, who discovered the child after returning to the van yesterday afternoon. Police responded to the emergency call at 4:30 p.m. in the 2700 block of Garland Avenue, where Whitfield lives.
Campbell scheduled a preliminary hearing for Aug. 4 and agreed to a request by Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney Mary E. Langer that Whitfield not be allowed to have any contact with children.
Luxton described Johnson’s death as clearly an accident and said he has known Whitfield’s family for several years. Whitfield typically drove the van 3-4 times daily, Luxton said.
“I can’t imagine what happened,” Luxton said. “It was a tragedy for everybody involved, particularly for the parents of the child.”
Valerot Whitlow, the owner of the day-care center and Whitfield’s mother, attended the 5-minute video arraignment with family and neighbors. She did not make any comments after the hearing, but one neighbor, Charlene Sutton, said, “We know it’s a bad situation, and we just let God prevail.”
A neighbor who lives next door to Whitfield described the family as good, hard-working people who were distraught about what happened.
The neighbor, who declined to be identified, said he talked with Whitfield’s brother after emergency crews responded and “he was angry that it happened.“
“He was angry… because nobody noticed the child until [Whitfield] found” him in the van after returning home at 2719 Garland Avenue. The boy was still alive and Whitfield tried to resuscitate him before emergency crews arrived, the neighbor said.
“I’m just sorry it happened,“ the neighbor said. “I can’t imagine the grief that Keishawn is feeling. He’s a good kid.“
Whitfield was charged in November 2007 with possession of cocaine with intent to distribute. He initially pleaded guilty but withdrew his plea. In January, a judge found there was sufficient evidence to convict on a charge of possesision but took the case under advisement and placed Whitfield under supervision, Langer said today.
— Mark Bowes and Michael Martz
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Reader Reactions
I’ve worked in daycare for 7 years. I’ve driven children around in company vehicles, and cannot imagine ever leaving a child in a vehicle. There are definitely checks that you make before ever leaving any location, whether it was to drop off or pick up children. In actuality, the check is so that no vehicle ever moves from its parked position before every child is accounted for. In other words, there is no excuse for why this would ever happen.
As for most child care facilities, or at least ones that are larger companies, the children are usually not transported until they are at least 4-5 years old, unless in the event of an emergency (such as a fire, or hurricane, etc.). Also, if the possession charge was NOT a felony charge, possibly because of a reduced penalty, than any child care facility could have hired him, as their is no restriction on hire as long as there are no felonies. Also, child care facilities are not required to drug test their employees—that’s up to the company.
It’s a terrible tragedy that should never have happened, and my heart goes out to the family of the child. I do think that this should open our eyes though, and enforce stricter guidelines for daycare employees, as well as daycare providers. We should be able to trust those who care for children.
There is NO EXCUSE for what he did! That is unbelievable! They should prosecute the owner and him- who would trust their child with this place again?
qhgirl let me ask you this: If it was your son or daughter who died at the hands of a negligent daycare worker, would you accept his/her ‘excuse’ of “I forgot” or “I thought someone else got him/her already” or some other memory related issue. I doubt it.
If you can’t remember to check each seat belt before you head out or car seat when you arrive, you have no business caring for children.
The Brinks example is exactly the same thing. Businesses pay Brinks to securely transport their money. If Brinks screws up, Brinks in an a ton of trouble. Parent pay a daycare to care for their child. If the daycare screws up, the daycare is in a ton of trouble. What do you think the business would do if the Brinks guy returned and said ‘oops, we lost some of your cash on the way’ or when you came to get your child at daycare they told you ‘he/she’s lost’ or ‘dead’.
His background has everything to do with this case in specific, why did the mother/owner let her son drive the van? I see cases everyday where people try to and sometimes get away with getting around the law and now an innocent life has been lost. People lie for their children,spouses,family members and even friends all the time. He may not even be listed as a driver for the daycare but whatever the reason he should not have been driving the van. We all make mistakes and we all deserve 2nd chances however in this case in the story they only cite one case in 2007 but what about before that? If he was a juvenile those records would be sealed and we don’t know for sure what kind of record he has.
For those that say this can happen to anyone, I can see that point of view, but in this case it was his JOB to check the van and make sure no child was still in the van. As a parent I find it hard to think that you can leave your child in a car but I can’t speak for other parents only myself. I’m not perfect, I’m saying this up front so I don’t get jumped, but if its your JOB you need to be more vigilant. The owner also needs to be charged, 1st for not having checks and balances in place (negligence) and 2nd for letting a convict drive the daycare van, regardless of whether that person was her son or not.
OK, I can look past the fact that he was charged for coke possession & distribution in the past, everyone deserves ONE chance to prove they have changed HOWEVER, that chance should not have been at a child care center. Someone please correct me if I am wrong, but isnt it illegal to have someone with that record employed at such a facility?? I do beleive it is & if indeed it is, the guys mother/daycare owner needs to be charged in this death as well, in addition to the fact that I see negligence written all over due to the fact that nobody noticed the kid wasnt gotten off the bus, it is a child care center workers JOB to notice these things! They can be sorry all they want but that poor baby died a horrible, long suffering death & that babys family will suffer til the day they die over his loss. Saying your sorry doesnt mean you get to walk away without being punished!! I can not begin to imagine what I would do to that punk if it was my kid OMG!!
To the person that brought up Baskins Robbins OMG!!! Are you serious? My first question to you is do you even have kids? Secondly how or who forgets a child and especially from off a daycare van where the kids should be counted loading and unloading anyway. I agree that his past record should have made in ineligible to work there but people looked who owned it his mother.See him not taking care of his own responsibilitie further lets me know the mother’s character so why does she have a daycare? She gave him that job because noone else like talking about where he could really make money will hire him because of his background and once again he shows us how irresponsible he is. I also think that his mother hould be held accountable because she skipped some of the necessary steps for employment that she has to follow to maintain her license if i’m not mistaken. correct me if i’m wrong. They both should be held accountable. Now the baskin robbins person nor was the man on forest hill market that killed a man in the process of being robbed. you know why they are the reason they are deceased. not the employees sweetie. If they wasn’t doing that crime they’ll probably still be here. they have to be accountable for their decisions they make and be able to deal with the consequences
May God bless this little boy and his family. A child is the hardest thing to lose, I know!
( Chipshot ) That’s Good!
I suppose I must be old school since it has been many years since my children went to daycare, but I thought when they were that young they were dropped off and picked up by the parents. When they start school is when they get picked up by the daycare. I would have a very hard time letting anyone drive my child around. I still have a hard time letting them go on the school bus. I sure would do a background check on the place before I would let a child of mine attend.
O…..M…..G…....!!!!!!!!!
I hope they throw away the key on both them. What a huge gamble on the crack-head’s mother part. Well, dont do the crime if you cant do the time. She is a criminal now too.
He’s a good kid…LOL, like mother like son.
Many have asked how a person with a past like this was working in a daycare. Because his mother owned it, that’s how. She skipped the background check so she could give her crack-selling, deadbeat dad of a son a job driving children around. Having clearly not been held accountable for his actions up to this point, true to form, he ignored his duty and left the child in the car do die. She should be charged with him.
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