Uncle charged with leaving 22-month-old niece to die in a hot car told cops he had memory problems
An uncle charged with leaving his 22-month-old niece to die alone in a hot car told cops he suffered memory problems from a work injury
Shelton Shambry, 60, claims he forgot Milliani Robertson-Lawrence was alone in his van for nine hours before she died on August 16.
Shambry left Milliani locked in his minivan from 6.30am until relatives found her at 3.40pm in Lindenwold PATCO station in New Jersey.
Shelton Shambry, 60, claims he forgot Milliani Robertson-Lawrence (pictured) was alone in his van for nine hours before she died on August 16
Temperatures reached up to 89F (31.6C) on the day Milliani died.
Shambry, who was Milliani's legal guardian, claims he has had memory problems ever since an injury at work.
The medical examiner ruled her death an accident.
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ShareMilliani's father, Nasie Lawrence, had been in prison for 18 months and had been trying to get custody of his daughter.
He told CBS: 'Once I got the call, I thought it was a joke.
'I pretty much broke down and lost my mind.'
Milliani's father, Nasie Lawrence, had been in prison for 18 months and had been trying to get custody of his daughter. He said: 'Once I got the call I pretty much broke down and lost my mind'
He added: 'How do you forget that there's a two-year-old who makes a lot of noise in the car?
'You killed my daughter. You took her from me.'
Family members didn't realize Milliani was missing until they went to pick her up from daycare and she wasn't there.
Shambry told police that he put Milliani into his van at 6.30am alongside another family member.
He would usually drop Milliani off at daycare first but on the day she died the other family member asked to be dropped off first.
Family members were told Milliani had never been dropped off at daycare and eventually found her in the minivan at 3.40pm. A bystander broke a window of the van but Milliani was pronounced dead at the scene (pictured) 12 minutes later
Shambry said he then forgot that he hadn't dropped Milliani at daycare and went home to rest before he went to work at 11.30am.
He then got back into the minivan, where Milliani had been unsupervised for four hours, and drove to the station.
Family members were told Milliani had never been dropped off at daycare and eventually found her in the minivan at 3.40pm.
A bystander broke a window of the van but Milliani was pronounced dead at the scene 12 minutes later.
He was charged with a summons and released until his court date on September 26.
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