By Associated Press
St. Louis, MO – St. Louis Circuit Attorney Jennifer Joyce decides not to file charges against a suburban St. Louis couple whose baby died in a hot car last month.
Seven-month-old Sophia Knutsen's parents each thought the other was caring for the child when she was left in a car on the parking lot at the Washington University School of Medicine. The mother, Doctor Beth Ann Kozel, is a staff physician at St. Louis Children's Hospital. The father, Russell Knutsen, is a research analyst at the medical school.
Joyce says the parents made mistakes, but she didn't have enough evidence to prove criminal negligence.
The incident happened on a day with temperatures in the 90s. The child had been in the car for three hours before a passerby spotted her and broke out the car window, but too late to save the baby.