(NewsNation) — It’s every parent’s worst nightmare: losing a child. Monday, that nightmare became tragic reality for parents Keiara Whorley and Devonte Tomlin.
Hours after dropping off their 9-month-old son at a Florida day care, he was pronounced dead.
How did this happen? That’s what the grieving parents are on a mission to find out.
On Monday, little Tayvon Tomlin was reportedly found lifeless in his crib at Lincoln Marti Daycare in Homestead, Florida. Miami-Dade police told media outlets that a day care employee was checking on the children when they realized Tayvon was not breathing and alerted authorities.
The child was airlifted to Kendall Regional Medical Center’s trauma unit. Less than one hour later, Tayvon died.
Attorney Michael Levine is representing the family. He says in the minutes and hours following Tayvon’s death, his clients have been given conflicting reports of what happened at Lincoln Marti Daycare.
The parents have questions about the staffing at the day care facility and how equipped they were to handle a medical emergency.
As their questions remain, they are faced with the unbearable pain of burying their baby and explaining to Tayvon’s siblings that their brother is not coming home.
“Our world was turned upside down when we received a call that our son, Tayvon, wasn’t breathing and was being taken to the hospital after being found unresponsive in a crib at his day care,” Devonte Tomlin shared on a GoFundMe page raising funds to cover the child’s funeral expenses. “He was a sweet, playful, and energetic baby who was close to walking and brought so much joy into our lives.”
Lincoln Marti Child Care sent the following statement about the incident to Local 10 News on Monday.
“As a result of a medical emergency, this afternoon a child was transported from a Lincoln-Marti childcare center in Homestead by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue. It was later learned that the child passed away. Lincoln-Marti is working with the authorities to determine what caused this tragic situation and offers its sincere condolences to the family. Out of respect for their privacy, no further comment will be made at this time.”
According to the Miami Herald, Tayvon is the second infant to die at a private facility in the Miami-Dade area in the past week.