Infant dies in a hot car in Grenada, father charged with murder

Sarah Fowler, The Clarion-Ledger

A father has been charged with murder after his eight-month-old baby died Thursday from being left in a hot car in Grenada. The infant's death is the second hot car death in the state in the last two weeks.

According to Grenada Deputy Chief George Douglas, after "an extensive investigation," Joshua Lewis Blunt, 25, has been charged with second degree murder in the death of his daughter, Shania Rihanna Caradine.

Blunt left the infant in his car for "some period of time" while he worked inside a restaurant on Scenic Loop 333, Douglas said.

Douglas declined to comment further.

Grenada Deputy Coroner Jo Morman identified the restaurant as 333 Restaurant.

Morman said a passerbyer noticed the child in the car and called 911 at 3:50 p.m. It was unclear how long the infant had been in the car but she was "hyperthermic."

Once discovered, the infant was taken inside the restaurant and "rushed outside" when paramedics arrived. The child was taken via ambulance to University of Mississippi Medical Center.

CPR was administered for "a couple hours" before her death was pronounced, Morman said.

The child's body was sent to Jackson for an autopsy for an official cause of death.

Blunt is currently in the Grenada County Jail on a $250,000 bond.

This story is developing.