TMP Reports
Posted: Friday, November 20, 2009 11:20 am

Joann Bell

A mother was indicted for aggravated child endangerment after being accused of leaving her 5-month-old baby in a vehicle with a temperature of 100 degrees in July, Murfreesboro Police reported.

Mother Joann M. Bell, 33, of Whittle Court was charged Thursday with the one-count sealed indictment Thursday by Detective Wayne Lawson.

Police spokesman Kyle Evans said Friday the baby "sustained severe injuries as a reuslt of being left in the heat but is still alive."

At the time, Officer Jason Lowder reported the baby girl was admitted to Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital after being left an hour with a heat index of more than 100 degrees in a Mercury Mountaineer.

Bell told Lowder she and her children went to the tanning bed and McDonald’s before returning home about 2:30 p.m. Her daughter usually helps bring in the children and the mother assumed the baby was brought inside.

“After about an hour, she wondered why the baby hadn’t woken up,” Lowder reported, adding
Bell and her older daughter, Janice, 15, of Santana Street searched for the baby after they couldn’t find her inside.

“Janice located the baby in the vehicle purple in color and very hot,” Lowder reported. “Ms. Bell advised she immediately took the baby inside to attempt to cool the child down. Janice called 911.”

The infant was flown by LifeFlight helicopter to Vanderbilt.

Police notified the Department of Children’s Services, who launched an investigation along with Murfreesboro detectives.

Bell was booked into Rutherford County Adult Detention Center and released on bond. She is expected to receive a copy of her indictment Jan. 19 in Circuit Court.