Silverton , Jackson County , West Virginia

A terrible situation in Jackson County, W.Va. A 3-year-old little girl is dead after being left inside a hot car. Her foster parents could be facing charges, but family members say they're devastated and it was an accident.

It happened in the driveway outside the family's home on Wilding Road in the Silverton area. The foster-parents didn't realize until it was too late that Jasmine was still in the car, police say they tried to do CPR but the 3year-old was dead.

Police say the girl's foster parents, Jim and Penny Hafer, a couple of other adults, Jasmine and her brother, had all just returned from church Sunday afternoon. But when they got home, on the near 90 degree day, everyone went inside, except Jasmine. She was left asleep, strapped in her car seat in the third row of an SUV, which has now been impounded.

The Hafer's told police they each thought the other had brought Jasmine inside and thought she was napping.

"A mix up, lack of communication, resulted in her being left in the seat," Jackson County Chief Deputy Tony Boggs says.

Family members say the couple was in the process of adopting Jasmine and her brother but now they've lost them both. Child Protective Services has custody of the little boy.

"We loved the heck out of them and still love the heck out of them," Dave Hafer, who would have been Jasmine's future uncle, says.

Dave says her death was a terrible accident and his brother and sister-in-law are suffering immense grief.
But police say charges will likely be filed against the foster parents.

"A tragic, tragic accident that no one intended, but resulted in the death of a 3-year-old and it just reminds everyone to check, double check and re-check," Chief Boggs says.

The investigation is still underway. So far, no charges have been filed but police say the couple could be facing a charge as severe as child neglect resulting in death.

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The Jackson County Sheriff's Office is investigating the death of a three-year-old girl who was left alone in a hot car.

It happened Sunday afternoon near Silverton. Deputies say the girl fell asleep during the ride home from church and her foster parents, along with the girl's brother and other adults, went inside the home. Deputies say they were told there was confusion among the foster parents about who brought the girl in and it was about two hours before they realized she wasn't inside..

The girl's foster parents, James and Penny Hayfer, were about a month away from legally adopting the three-year-old and her brother. They say they found the girl still strapped in her car seat inside the SUV. They tried unsuccessfully to revive her and called 911. Police say charges are expected to be filed against the couple.

Eyewitness News Anchor Kallie Cart is in Jackson County and will have more on this developing story tonight at 6pm.

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A 3-year-old girl who was left in a car after her family returned home from church on Sunday has died.

Tony Boggs says the girl fell asleep during the ride home Sunday. He says a couple and several other children didn't realize she was still in the car until several hours later.

Boggs did not identify the girl or the couple. He didn't know if the couple were her parents or other relatives.

The National Weather Service says temperatures in the area would have been in the high 80s Sunday afternoon.

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A small child is dead after being left in a car.

It happened around 3:30pm Sunday near Silverton.

Not many details are being released, but we are told the child was left in the car and has died.

Jackson County deputies are investigating.

Stay tuned to Eyewitness News for the latest on this developing story.

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