A 36-year-old Nigerian woman, Gbemisola Akayinode, has been charged with felony murder in Texas following the death of her 9-year-old daughter, Oluwasikemi, who was left in a parked car for more than eight hours on a scorching summer day.
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According to court documents, the incident occurred on July 1, 2025, when Akayinode drove to her job at the USG Corporation mineral plant in Galena Park, a Houston suburb, leaving her daughter in the car while outdoor temperatures soared to 95°F (35°C).
By the time first responders arrived, Oluwasikemi’s body temperature had risen to 108°F (42°C). The Harris County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled her death a homicide caused by hyperthermia (heat stroke).
Investigators revealed that Akayinode had left her daughter alone in the vehicle on at least four previous occasions — including the night before the tragedy.
Prosecutors said she supplied the child with water, melatonin, ice cubes, and a rechargeable fan, and partially rolled down the back windows before heading to work. She also placed a sunshade across the windshield, making it harder for anyone to see inside the car.
According to investigators, Akayinode admitted she never checked on her daughter throughout her shift. When she returned around 1:53 p.m., she found Oluwasikemi unresponsive and “blue,” prompting her to scream for help. Emergency responders pronounced the girl dead at the scene.
Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez described the death as “a heartbreaking and entirely preventable tragedy.”
“Leaving a child in a vehicle for hours under intense heat is deadly,” Gonzalez said. “This is a painful reminder that a few minutes of neglect can lead to irreversible loss.”
Authorities later discovered that Akayinode had told police she couldn’t afford daycare until her next paycheck. However, investigators found that her foreman had already been covering her daycare costs, contradicting her claim.
Akayinode was arrested on October 17 after a months-long investigation. She was booked into the Harris County Jail, where her bond was initially set at $1 million, later reduced to $500,000.
If convicted, she faces a potential life sentence under Texas law.
Hot-car deaths remain a recurring crisis in the United States. According to KidsAndCars.org, at least 30 children have died in hot cars so far in 2025, with over 1,160 fatalities recorded since 1990.
The Harris County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate the case as prosecutors prepare for trial. The shocking incident has sparked widespread debate about child safety, parental responsibility, and mental health awareness among working parents.
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