North Carolina: DA’s office reveals new details after Greensboro mother leaves child in hot car

By Kara Peters

Click here for updates on this story

    GREENSBORO, North Carolina (WXII) — Prosecutors are looking into additional charges against a Greensboro mother.

Twenty-five-year-old Jayla Branch is accused of leaving her baby in a hot car while she was working. Branch looked visibly upset, at moments covering her face as she appeared virtually in front of a courtroom Monday afternoon.

According to court proceedings, Branch was scheduled to work as a certified nursing assistant Saturday morning. Investigators said Branch took her 1-year-old son to work because a babysitter wasn’t available. The patient, however, was not aware that a child was left inside the car during the shift.

“What’s interesting to the state and what will become relevant later is that she used blankets to cover the rearview passenger window to conceal the baby’s presence so that nobody would see him,” said Kelly Thompson, assistant district attorney.

Prosecutors also stated that Branch fed her child half a bagel and gave him apple juice before going inside the home to work. Her car supposedly had a feature to keep the car running for longer periods of time.

Branch later checked on her baby around 11:30 that morning and saw that he wasn’t breathing. That’s when she took the child to her home on Arlington Street and dialed 911 from there.

“At that point, the child went to the hospital by himself, and she changed out of her work clothes and started cleaning her house after they left,” Thompson said.

Branch was later taken to the police department for further questioning, where authorities learned more information about her background.

“There’s no criminal record; I asked about any further CPS involvement, and the only thing she advised them is that she had a child that passed away in 2023/2024 due to SIDS,” Thompson said.

The state decided to indict Branch on charges of intentional felony child abuse inflicting serious bodily injury, given the circumstances surrounding Branch’s background and the hot conditions the child was in.

“Dogs couldn’t walk outside. So, a child left in a car for three hours could not do it either.” Thompson said.

At last check, the baby remains in critical condition. He’s being treated for heat stroke, seizures and a temperature that was initially 103.8 degrees. The child is also dealing with brain, liver and kidney damage.

Branch’s next court appearance is scheduled for Aug. 26.

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.