Baby Girl Dies, Forgotten In Hot Truck In East Nashville: Police

NASHVILLE, TN — A 1-year-old girl was found dead after being forgotten inside a pickup truck in East Nashville Wednesday, police said.

The little girl, Katera Barker, was pronounced dead on arrival at Monroe Carrell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt Wednesday night, Metro Police said.

(For more updates on this story and free news alerts for your neighborhood, sign up for your local Middle Tennessee Patch morning newsletter.)

According to investigators, the girl’s adoptive father, Matt Barker, had driven her and her older sister to a day care around 7:30 a.m., dropped off the older sibling, but, inadvertently, not Katera. He returned home and took a ride-sharing service to the airport at 8 a.m.. Jenny Barker, his wife, left for work in her own car shortly thereafter and Matt Barker flew out of town on a business trip.

When Jenny Barker went to pick up the children at the end of the day, the day care said Katera had never been dropped off. Police said she called her husband and the couple soon realized what had happened.

Jenny Barker called 911 at 5:42 p.m. and performed CPR on Katera until paramedics arrived.

Matt Barker returned to Nashville Wednesday night. Both parents have cooperated with the investigation, police said, and no charges have been filed.

Thirty Tennessee children have died hot car deaths since 1990, according to the non-profit KidsAndCars.org, the eighth highest total in the country.

Photos via Metro Nashville Police