KHON KAEN: A childminder at a tambon nursery was charged with reckless behaviour causing death after a 5-year-old girl she forgot was in the front seat of her pickup truck died a shocking death on Monday.
Appalling photos of the dead girl were shared on local social media, showing her body leaking saliva, urine and faeces.
A message was posted along with the pictures, referring to the child as Nong Yaem and said she had died at the nursery school at the Huai Muang tambon administration organisation in Phu Pha Man district.
Pol Lt Col Somkuan Chaihong, inspector-general of the Phu Pha Man police, said on Tuesday that Wijitra Soodkana, a 32-year-old childminder at the nursery, was charged with recklessness causing death and released on bail of 100,000 on Monday evening.
The officer said the regular vehicle the nursery used to transport the children was unserviceable on Monday, so Ms Wijitra drove her own pickup to collect them.
Nong Yaem or Prawintra Kepuang was among them and traveled inside the cabin in the front passenger seat, he said. The five other children and a maid sat outside in the back.
When they arrived at the nursery, Ms Wijitra went to help the other children off the back tray, but forgot about Nong Yaem in the front seat, Pol Lt Col Somkuan said.
When the nursery closed Ms Wijitra returned to the truck to take the children home, and found the dead girl in the locked and sealed cab.
Nong Yaem's heartbroken mother, Kalaya Noikaew, 31, said she would fight to the end to get justice for her poor child.
The girl's body was returned to her home in Ban Rang Charoen of tambon Huai Muang. The cremation is set for Thursday.