A heartbreaking tragedy in Kentucky has left a family mourning the loss of their 10-month-old daughter after the baby was unintentionally left inside a vehicle for several hours.

The child, Scottie Gwyn Crowell, died on August 13 after being found unresponsive inside a car parked outside Owensboro Health Multicare in Madisonville, where her grandmother, Dr. Stacey Fazenbaker, worked.

According to police, Fazenbaker had picked up Scottie that morning with plans to take her to daycare before going to work. Investigators said she instead drove directly to the medical facility, apparently forgetting that the baby was still in the vehicle.

The family did not realize Scottie had never arrived at daycare until later that afternoon.

Scottie’s father went to collect her at around 4 p.m., only to learn from daycare staff that she had never been dropped off. The family then contacted Fazenbaker, who reportedly realized what had happened and rushed outside with coworkers.

Emergency responders attempted lifesaving measures, but the baby could not be revived.

Temperatures in Madisonville reached approximately 95°F (35°C) that day, while reports said the temperature inside the vehicle climbed dramatically higher.

Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding Scottie’s death. An autopsy was ordered to establish the official cause and manner of death, and investigators also conducted routine testing of Fazenbaker. Authorities said they did not anticipate the testing would reveal alcohol or drugs.

No criminal charges had been filed as of the latest reports. Madisonville Police Major Jason McKnight said investigators were still working to understand exactly how the tragedy occurred and indicated that charges could potentially be considered after further investigation and review by a grand jury.

The loss has devastated Scottie’s family and community. She was the second child of her parents and had been born in September 2025.

Her grandmother had reportedly moved to Madisonville about a year earlier to be closer to her daughter, Sydni Crowell, who is also a physician in the area.

What makes the tragedy particularly heartbreaking is how an ordinary morning routine — picking up a grandchild, dropping her at daycare and going to work — ended with an irreversible loss.

For Scottie’s family, the coming days will be filled with grief while investigators continue trying to answer the questions surrounding the final hours of the little girl’s life.

Scottie was only 10 months old. Her life had barely begun, and a family that expected to see her again that afternoon was instead forced to face an unimaginable goodbye.