Police and child safety advocates have launched Purple Ribbon Month in Kern County in honor of six-month-old Kaitlyn Russell, who died August 15, 2000 after accidentally being left in a hot van by a caregiver. At Thursday’s news conference, Kern County Human Services Director Dena Murphy said her agency had client who’d forgotten their three-year-old son was in the backseat of the car on Monday afternoon, and that “by the grace of God” that child survived despite being left there for more than an hour. Kaitlyn’s law makes it a citable offense for parents to leave children under six unattended in a car without someone who’s at least 12 years old. Human Services is hosting a series of hot car demonstrations around the county, including one Friday at their office on California Avenue and Union in Bakersfield. The list is posted below.
Suzanne Grant, Chuck Alan
Community Demonstrations
Saturday, July 15th, 3:30 – 4:30 Bakersfield Maya Cinemas, 1000 California Avenue
Monday, July 17th, 10 – Noon Lamont Department of Human Services office
Tuesday, July 18th, 10 – Noon Taft Department of Human Services, 119 N. 10th St.
Thursday, July 20th, 10 – Noon Shafter Human Services Office, 115 Central Valley Hwy.
Monday, July 24th Lake Isabella Human Services office 7050 Lake Isabella Blvd.
Tuesday, July 25th Mojave Department of Human Services office
Thursday, July 27th Delano Department of Human Services office
Thursday, August 10th Ridgecrest Ready-Set Back 2 School Health & Wellness Fair
For more information, contact Heidi Carter-Escudero at (661) 633-7104 or [email protected].
