YORK COUNTY, Va. — Investigators arrested a woman following the deaths of an 11-month-old child and dog.
Court records show 40-year-old Kristen Graham was taken into custody on Tuesday, September 12, and charged with felony child neglect and a misdemeanor count of animal cruelty in the case.
York-Poquoson Sheriff Ron Montgomery said Graham was accused of leaving the infant, who she was the occasional caretaker of, in a hot car.
On the morning of September 12, Graham received a phone call from a friend in Newport News asking her to bring her a pack of cigarettes, Montgomery said.
Graham then drove to Newport News to bring the cigarettes and some apple juice to her friend.
The infant and a small dog were in the car with her, the sheriff said.
Graham returned home, to the 3600 block Seaford Road in York County, the next day where, according to officials, she rolled up the windows in her car and left the dog and child inside.
Montgomery said he believed Graham left the child and dog in the car for roughly six hours. She then found them deceased after a phone call woke her up.
The sheriff said the case was tough for his department.
“Anytime you investigate the death of a child it’s devastating to the investigators and the law enforcement people who have to be involved with that," Montgomery said. "We have children ourselves and I can tell you that we all go home and hug our kids and grand kids a little tighter after something like this happens.”
Officials are waiting for the autopsy results and more to determine if charges could be upgraded to homicide.
This is a developing story, so anyone with more information can email newstips@wtvr.com to send a tip.
