HOUSTON — A heartbreaking case out of Galena Park has led to felony murder charges against a Texas mother accused of leaving her 9-year-old daughter inside a sweltering car for eight hours while she went to work. Authorities confirmed that 36-year-old Gbemisola Akayinode was arrested on October 17 in connection with the death of her daughter, Oluwasikemi Akayinode.
According to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, the tragic incident occurred on July 1, when Gbemisola drove to her job at a mineral plant on Mayo Shell Road around 6 a.m., with her daughter in the back seat of her Toyota Camry. Investigators said she parked her car and left Oluwasikemi inside with some water and the windows partially down. A sunshade had also been placed in the front window, making it difficult for anyone outside to see the child trapped within.
Sheriff Ed Gonzalez described the case as “deeply distressing,” noting that the mother allegedly left the child unattended for her entire eight-hour shift. When Gbemisola returned to check on her daughter around 2 p.m., she found Oluwasikemi unresponsive and immediately called for help. Emergency responders performed CPR before transporting the child to a nearby hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
The Harris County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled the death a homicide caused by hyperthermia — extreme overheating. Meteorological data from AccuWeather shows the outside temperature in Galena Park reached 96°F that day. Experts say the temperature inside a parked vehicle under such conditions could easily have climbed to 164°F, with the car’s interior reaching dangerous levels within minutes. “Once body temperature rises above 104°F, it can cause irreversible organ and brain damage,” explained Dr. Anthony Arredondo of Texas Children’s Hospital. “The longer the exposure, the greater the chance of death.”
Authorities believe Oluwasikemi may have endured several hours of lethal heat before succumbing. Satellite images of the plant’s parking lot reveal little to no shade, compounding the dangerous conditions. Sheriff Gonzalez emphasized that this tragedy was entirely preventable, urging all parents to double-check their vehicles before leaving. “Even a few minutes in a hot car can be fatal,” he said.
Gbemisola Akayinode remains in custody at the Harris County Jail on a felony murder charge. The case has deeply shaken the Galena Park community, prompting renewed calls for public awareness about the dangers of hot car deaths — a tragic and all-too-common occurrence during Texas summers.