Sunlight bounced off a sea of windshields at the mall parking lot. A baby slept
'Miracle baby' born after six miscarriages dies after babysitter left her in hot car, parents say
The parents of a two-year-old New Mexico girl are reeling after their daughter died due to being left alone in a hot car. According to authorities, the child's babysitter is now facing charges.
Police in Hobbs, New Mexico, received a 911 call on Sept. 17 around 1:30 p.m. in reference to an unresponsive child. Zariah Hasheme was pronounced dead at the scene.
According to police, Tammie Brooks, 41, was supposed to drop the toddler off at daycare, but she forgot. She instead drove to work, leaving Zariah in the car.
She did not realize she had forgotten about the child until several hours later after she had run an errand, investigators said. Brooks has been charged with abandonment or abuse of a child resulting in death.
Zariah's parents, Zachary Hasheme and Demi Petrowski, are devastated. The couple told KOB-TV that they had tried for several years to have a baby.
"I had six miscarriages previously to having my daughter," Petrowski said. "I remember praying every single day, nonstop."
The couple told KOB-TV that Zariah was their "miracle baby."
"I would not wish this pain and this hurt upon my worst enemy," she added.
The parents are questioning how their daughter could have been forgotten, not just by her babysitter but by the daycare center as well.
"I mean, you can forget to bring a pen with you, but it's kind of hard to forget about a kid in the car," Zachary told KOB-TV.
"Always look at the backseat of the car, and if there is a child in there or you hear a child screaming, please just-- you know, help," Petrowski added. "As for daycare centers, if you know a child is not there at their appointed time, please contact the parents or someone on the emergency list right away."
A GoFundme account has been created to help Zariah's parents pay for funeral expenses. As of September 25, they have raised more than $4,000 out of their $2,000 goal.
Sunlight bounced off a sea of windshields at the mall parking lot, casting reflections like tiny stars on the asphalt. It was one of those scorching summer days where the heat seemed to ripple off every surface. In the back seat of a mid-sized sedan, a baby slept in a rear-facing car seat, cheeks flushed a rosy pink, tiny fists opening and closing as if grasping for something in a dream. The car was locked, and the midday sun was relentless.
Minutes ticked by, each one feeling like an eternity to those who had gathered nearby. Concerned shoppers formed a loose circle around the car, whispering among themselves, their eyes darting from the child to the parking lot entrance. It was a scene that could have easily slipped into panic, fueled by the growing anxiety of a crowd unsure of what to do.
Then, the crowd parted slightly as a woman hurried toward the car, waving a key fob in the air with a breathless urgency. “It’s fine—I was gone five minutes,” she called out over the murmur of voices, a strained smile fixed on her face. Her words, intended to reassure, only seemed to heighten the tension.
Standing by the car, a security guard hesitated, a rescue tool clutched in one hand. He weighed the choice, poised between action and inaction. The situation was on the verge of resolution when, from inside the vehicle, a small voice interrupted the scene.
“I don’t know that lady,” the baby said in a drowsy whisper, eyes barely open but clear enough to meet the guard’s.
The crowd fell silent, the chatter swallowed by a wave of surprise. The guard’s eyes met those of a bystander who had been recording the unfolding drama on her phone. For a moment, everyone seemed frozen, caught between disbelief and the unsettling realization of what the child’s words implied.
The woman’s smile faltered, the confidence in her posture ebbing away like a tide. Her gaze flitted nervously across the crowd, seeking an ally, an explanation, anything that might undo the implication of the child’s statement. The air felt thick with unspoken questions, the kind that demanded answers but offered none easily.
“Who are you?” someone from the crowd asked, the voice tinged with suspicion.
I HAD NO DOUBT MY SON BROUGHT HIS NEW GIRLFRIEND ON OUR FAMILY TRIP
When my 20-year-old son Eric asked if he could bring his girlfriend Jessica on our family vacation, I agreed, though part of me was surprised. He’d only been dating her for three months, and unlike past girlfriends, he had barely spoken about her. Still, he sounded eager, and I wanted to be supportive. When Jessica arrived, she looked like she had stepped straight out of a magazine—perfect hair, flawless makeup, and a suitcase that probably cost more than my entire wardrobe. My husband was instantly charmed by her politeness and poised manners. She complimented the house we rented, laughed at his stories, and seemed to know exactly what to say. But as a mother, I notice the small details—the spaces between words, the glances, the silences. And something about Jessica didn’t sit right.
She didn’t laugh at Eric’s goofy jokes, the ones that usually win people over. When I mentioned his basketball league, she stared at me blankly, as if hearing about it for the first time. When I asked how they met, her story sounded rehearsed, almost scripted. And when Eric invited her on a short hike, she declined with a dismissive, “I don’t want to sweat in public.” By the third day, I felt less like I was watching a budding relationship and more like I was watching a performance. Then I stumbled across something that made my unease multiply. I was digging through Eric’s beach bag, looking for sunscreen, when I found a small velvet jewelry box tucked beneath his towel. Inside was a diamond necklace—sparkling, elegant, and clearly very expensive. My stomach tightened. Eric was a college junior with a part-time tutoring job. There was no way he could afford something like that. He had never mentioned saving up for a gift, let alone one so extravagant. I put it back, careful not to disturb anything. My mind spun with questions. Was he planning to propose? Was he borrowing money he couldn’t afford to pay back? Or worse—was Jessica somehow behind this? I kept quiet, waiting for more clarity. On the final day of the trip, the truth began to unravel. Eric and Jessica were at the pool when his phone, left on the kitchen counter, buzzed. I would have ignored it… but the preview on the lock screen stopped me cold. It was a text. “+$500 to our deal. He’s still clueless. You’re good.” My hands shook as I read it. A deal? Clueless? My son? The pieces started falling into place in a way that made my chest ache. Jessica wasn’t acting like someone in love with Eric—because she wasn’t. She didn’t know his hobbies, his studies, his sense of humor, because none of that mattered to her. She was here for something else entirely. I felt sick. Was she using him for money? For some scheme involving that necklace? And who was on the other side of that text—the person praising her for fooling my son? I didn’t want to believe it, but the evidence was right there in front of me. I had no idea what Jessica was truly after… but one thing was clear: my son was being played, and if I didn’t step in soon, he might lose more than just money.
