A Florida mother has been charged with aggravated manslaughter after she allegedly forgot her newborn baby inside a hot car for several hours, as she got high on crystal meth and masturbated in bed.
On September 2, the 30-year-old Megan Dauphin allegedly left her baby, McKinley Garner in a vehicle in Panama City for about four hours.
An unidentified witness caught Dauphin masturbating in her bedroom, and asked where the baby was.
Dauphin was said to have exclaimed, “Oh my God,” before jumping out of bed and running towards her car, where she found the unresponsive McKinley.
Emergency responders were called shortly after, but McKinley was pronounced dead at the scene.
The mother was arrested and charged over her McKinley’s death, less than two months after she was born.
According to one of Dauphin’s friends, who refused to be named, the mother had gone partying the weekend after her baby’s death.
“The Megan I knew would have never done this so this whole situation is very shocking to me…” the friend said.
“All I keep picturing in my head is that beautiful baby girl wrapped up in the swaddle blanket I bought off your baby shower and to imagine her life get taken from that innocent child because of a mother leaving her child unattended in a hot car is so disturbing.”
Bay County Sheriff’s Office Detectives found drug paraphernalia in Dauphin’s home, consistent with crystal meth use.
On top of that, authorities found bathroom pipes that tested positive for residue of marijuana and methamphetamine, a blue vibrator “on top of all the other items” on her nightstand, and spoiled baby bottles and food.
Surveillance videos showed how McKinley was left in the car from approximately 9:15 a.m. to 1 p.m., and missed a feeding.
A blood work was ordered to establish that Dauphin may have been high on meth during the unfortunate incident.
Court records states that Dauphin is set to make her first appearance in Bay County Court on Wednesday afternoon, and is expected to represent herself.