A three-year-old girl died four days after she was found unresponsive with her head stuck inside a toy kitchen play set at a babysitter's home in Boynton Beach, Florida, and the investigation remains open with no charges filed.
Boynton Beach police received a report of a child not breathing shortly after 11 a.m. on July 23 and rushed to a home in the Meadows of Boynton Beach community in Palm Beach County. Officers found the toddler, identified by loved ones as Briella, already unresponsive. They began life-saving measures on scene before Boynton Beach Fire Rescue transported her to a nearby hospital, Fox News reported.
Briella remained in critical condition for four days. She died on July 27. She was three years old.
The Palm Beach County Medical Examiner ruled the death accidental, caused by "probable positional asphyxia", a condition in which the body's position prevents normal breathing, the New York Post reported. No criminal charges have been announced. Authorities say the investigation is ongoing.
The babysitter had left the residence before the incident, placing the children in the care of the babysitter's spouse. The spouse stayed upstairs while the children played on a lower level, periodically checking on them and bringing them snacks.
Briella's sibling, also present at the home, told investigators that some of the children's toys had fallen inside the play kitchen. Briella apparently became trapped while trying to retrieve them. The babysitter's spouse found the toddler with her head stuck inside the toy kitchen, freed her, and immediately began performing life-saving measures until first responders arrived.
How long Briella was trapped before the spouse discovered her has not been disclosed. The specific make or brand of the toy kitchen play set has not been identified publicly. Authorities have not named the babysitter or the babysitter's spouse.
Briella's loved ones set up a GoFundMe to help cover funeral and memorial expenses. On the fundraiser page, the family described the girl as "a bright light in the lives of so many."
"She had a kind heart, a beautiful spirit, and a smile that could light up any room. She touched countless lives with her love, laughter, and compassion, and the impact she made will never be forgotten."
The family added: "She will forever be loved, forever missed, and forever in our hearts."
Fox News Digital reached out to the Palm Beach County Medical Examiner's Office for additional details on the cause and manner of death but did not receive an immediate response. The medical examiner's ruling of probable positional asphyxia came via separate reporting.
No charges have been filed, and it remains unclear whether prosecutors are considering any. The investigation is active, and key details, including how long the child went unmonitored, whether other children were present beyond Briella and her sibling, and what safety features, if any, the toy kitchen included, have not been made public.
Every parent trusts that the people watching their children will keep them safe. When that trust fails a three-year-old who never comes home, the least the public deserves is a full accounting of what went wrong.
