Girl, 8, dies after mom 'left her in car to go to work' at Amazon during scorching temperatures

A mom has been charged with involuntary manslaughter following the death of her daughter, 8, after allegedly leaving her in a hot car while she went to work.

Officers were called to reports of a child in a critical condition inside a car in Charlotte, North Carolina , on Wednesday evening, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department said. The arrest warrant affidavit sates the girl was taken to hospital where she was pronounced dead in the early hours of Thursday.

It is being alleged that her mother Ashlee Stallings, 36, left her daughter in the car "in hot weather conditions" which led to the eight-year-old suffering a medical emergency, said the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department in a media statement . Temperatures in the city reached the upper 90s - above 30C - on Wednesday.

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According to ABC News, the arrest warrant affidavit states that Stallings allegedly told officers she left her daughter in the car while she worked, adding the aircon was left on but that she "believed the victim turned the car off because she was cold".

The mother went back to the car about an hour and a half later after last hearing from her daughter via text, finding her unresponsive on the backseat footwell. It is understood the eight-year-old was foaming at the mouth and taking shallow breaths.

The affidavit also states that the mother used a hammer to break the back window and then tried to drive to a hospital before pulling over at a business to seek help.

"She admitted she knew the temperature was 94 degrees outside and that she should not have left the victim inside the car alone," it states on the affidavit.

The eight-year-old suffered brain herniation due to hyperthermia, medical staff told police. Court records show Stallings - who was arrested on Thursday - was charged with involuntary manslaughter and child abuse by willful act causing serious injury.

A public defender was appointed for Stallings for her first cour appearance on Thursday, but no attorney information is listed on the online court records. However, these do show she is being held at the Mecklenburg County Detention Center on a $250,000 bond.

She is next due in court on July 16 and police investigations continue. Stallings worked at an Amazon facility and the company said it is "working closely" with police.

Amazon said in a statement to WSOC: "This is an incredibly tragic incident. During this difficult time, we're supporting our employees and have made counseling resources widely available.

Nonprofit Kids and Car Safety said this is at least the fifth hot car death this year . A car can reach 124 degrees in 30 minutes when it's 90 degrees outside, according to the National Weather Service.