BAKER COUNTY, Fla. — First Coast News sat down with the grandparents and uncle of a 10-month-old Baker County baby who died in a hot car back in July.
Ariya Paige was the bright spot in her family and now they’re fighting for justice on her behalf.
The 10-month-old’s babysitter, Rhonda Jewell, was arrested and is facing aggravated manslaughter.
Deputies say the babysitter admitted to forgetting the baby in the vehicle while interacting with other children.
The baby was found in the car, unresponsive, five hours later, when her mother came to pick her up.
“There was one of the EMT’s on the gurney and she was giving Ariya CPR, but she was crying. As a medical professional myself, I knew that wasn’t a good sign,” said Pam Paige, Ariya’s grandmother.
Pam Paige recalls the moments in the hospital as medical professionals worked to save her 10-month-old granddaughter.
“They called us in to talk to the doctor and the doctor came out with a grim look on his face, and he just said, 'she’s dead,'" she said.
A police report says Jewell went inside to tend to the other children, leaving Anya in the car.
Jewell made a first appearance in court and bonded out on $25,000. Ariya’s family says they don’t agree with her consequences.
“I mean you left her in the car with the windows up, the engine turned off and it was 98 degrees that day,” Pam Paige said.
“We don’t trust the justice system here in Baker County to give us justice for Ariya,” said Devon Paige, Ariya’s Uncle. The family says they’ve hired an attorney to fight for justice on their behalf.
“We are going to do everything we can to get justice for Ariya,” said James Kevin Paige, Ariya’s grandfather.
There will be a balloon release Monday, September 4, which is when Ariya would’ve turned one. The release will be at Quitman Cemetery, 1 Wiremill Road Sanderson, Florida at 10 a.m.