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Mother accused of beating 6-week-old daughter and leaving her alone in a cold car

RALEIGH, N.C. (WRAL) — A North Carolina mother is facing charges after authorities say she not only beat her 6-week-old daughter, but also left her alone in a car in temperatures hovering around 40 degrees.

According to police, 21-year-old Nikita Jones left her 6-week-old baby in a cold car in the McDonald’s parking lot in downtown Raleigh on Nov. 20. According to the warrants, the baby was not strapped in the back seat and the vehicle was not running while Jones went to work to start her shift.

When the baby was found, the temperature was around 40 degrees, according to police. They have not released details about her condition.

Jones was charged Monday with one count of negligent child abuse and one count of intentional child abuse resulting in serious bodily injury. She was jailed on a $35,000 bond.

According to the warrants, Jones is accused of punching her daughter in the face a day earlier before allegedly leaving her in the car. The baby suffered bruises to both eyes, swelling and a scratch on her face.

It’s not known how long the 6-week-old child was in the car, but experts say it would take hours for hypothermia to set in on a 40-degree day – and even less for a baby.

“They (babies) can’t regulate their temperature as well and also have a lot more body surface area,” said Dr. Ryan Lamb, medical director and chief of emergency medicine at UNC Rex Holly Springs.

Lamb says a baby probably doesn’t have a way to warm themselves by putting on more clothes or blankets, which is a factor in how quickly hypothermia can set in.

“Toddlers, how big is their head relative to their body, right? So there’s a lot of energy lost when they’re not bundled up and putting a hat on,” he said.

Signs of mild hypothermia include increased heart rate, increased breathing rate, and tremors. As hypothermia progresses, the heart rate and blood pressure drop and the body eventually shuts down.

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