A Kentucky doctor whose 10-month-old granddaughter died after being left inside a sweltering car for approximately eight hours will not face criminal charges, following a grand jury decision that has brought a tragic case back into the spotlight.
Dr. Stacey Fazenbaker, 61, had been under investigation since August 13, when her granddaughter, Scottie Gwyn Crowell, was discovered unresponsive inside a vehicle parked outside the medical clinic where Fazenbaker worked in Madisonville, Kentucky.
Temperatures outside reached approximately 95 degrees that day, while the interior of the vehicle reportedly climbed to a deadly 115 degrees.
But despite the heartbreaking circumstances surrounding the baby’s death, a Hopkins County grand jury concluded Tuesday, October 27, that there was insufficient probable cause to indict Fazenbaker.
The decision means the grandmother will not face a criminal trial stemming from the incident, bringing an end to months of uncertainty surrounding possible charges.
The tragedy unfolded on what was supposed to be an ordinary summer morning.
According to investigators, Fazenbaker had picked up little Scottie with plans to drop her off at daycare before heading to work at Owensboro Health MultiCare on South Main Street.
Instead, police said, the physician drove directly to the medical office, parked her vehicle and went inside, apparently forgetting that her granddaughter was still strapped into the backseat.
The baby remained inside the vehicle throughout the workday as temperatures soared.
It wasn’t until approximately 4 p.m., when Scottie’s father arrived at daycare to pick her up, that the family realized something was terribly wrong.
The daycare informed him that his daughter had never been dropped off that morning.
Alarmed, he contacted his wife, Sydni Crowell, who immediately called her mother to find out what had happened.
Fazenbaker reportedly rushed outside to her parked vehicle, where she discovered Scottie unresponsive.
Emergency responders were called, and desperate efforts were made to revive the little girl. Tragically, it was too late.
The baby’s death devastated her parents, Sydni and Micah Crowell, and prompted an extensive investigation by the Madisonville Police Department.
Authorities examined the circumstances surrounding the incident, including the events leading up to the missed daycare drop-off and the length of time Scottie remained in the vehicle.
The case was eventually presented to a grand jury, which was tasked with determining whether sufficient evidence existed to support criminal charges.
On October 27, jurors returned what is known as a “no true bill,” declining to issue an indictment.
Hopkins County Commonwealth’s Attorney Hannah Kington-Jarvis announced the decision the following day, explaining that the evidence presented did not meet the legal threshold required to move forward with prosecution.
“The Madisonville Police Department conducted a thorough and objective investigation,” Kington-Jarvis said in a statement.
She added that prosecutors deliberately waited until all relevant evidence was available before presenting the matter to the grand jury.
However, the prosecutor declined to reveal what evidence influenced the decision, noting that grand jury proceedings are confidential under Kentucky law.
The ruling does not change the circumstances of Scottie’s death or erase the family’s devastating loss. Rather, it means the grand jury did not find sufficient probable cause to support criminal charges based on the evidence presented.
Officials also confirmed that Scottie’s parents were consulted during the investigation and the grand jury process.
Kington-Jarvis urged the public to remember the grieving family as they continue coping with an unimaginable tragedy.
“I would ask that you keep the infant’s parents and family in your thoughts and prayers as they continue to grieve and process this unimaginable loss,” she said.
The case has renewed attention to the dangers of children being unintentionally left inside vehicles, particularly during hot weather.
Even when outside temperatures seem manageable, the interior of a parked vehicle can heat up rapidly, creating life-threatening conditions for infants and young children who cannot escape on their own.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, heatstroke can occur quickly inside a parked car, even when the windows are partially open.
Young children are especially vulnerable because their bodies heat up significantly faster than those of adults.
For Scottie’s family, however, the tragedy is far more personal than any broader discussion about vehicle safety.
The little girl was just 10 months old, with an entire childhood ahead of her, when a routine trip to daycare ended in an irreversible loss.
Her parents are now left mourning their daughter while navigating the painful aftermath of a tragedy involving someone they trusted to care for her.
And although the grand jury’s decision has resolved the question of criminal prosecution for now, it cannot undo what happened that August afternoon or restore the life of a little girl whose death has deeply affected her family and community.
Discover more from
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.