Long Beach, MS Police Officer Cassie Barker, 27, has been charged with manslaughter in the death of her daughter, after leaving 3-year-old Cheyenne Hyer in her patrol car for four hours Friday, October 7, 2016.
Barker’s patrol car was parked in the driveway of her supervisor, Sgt. Clark Ladner’s home, with the engine running and Cheyenne in her car seat. Both officers were off-duty Friday morning.
“There is a department policy that family members are not allowed in patrol cars, unless the exception is if they’re coming or going to or from work to be dropped off at childcare,” said Police Chief Wayne McDowell. McDowell also revealed that both Barker and Ladner’ shift ended at 6 am Friday.
Barker told investigators she stopped by Ladner’s home around 9 am to discuss a, “work related issue”. She further told investigators the two had fallen asleep.
Barker claimed she intended to be in Ladner’s home for only a few minutes and left the patrol car’s motor running and the air conditioning on. Investigation revealed the air conditioner thermostat was set to halfway between cool and heat.
Barker and Ladner were fired from the Long Beach (MS) Police Department Tuesday.
Barker was investigated by Child Protective Services (CPS) in May 2015 for an allegation of child neglect that included leaving Cheyenne unattended in a vehicle. Conclusions, findings and results of that investigation are not available at this time, but other records show Barker served a one-week suspension without pay and a 90-day extension of probation in May 2015.
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