Little Rock daycare owner accused after infant allegedly left in car for hours; advocates call for stronger transport checks

A Little Rock woman who owns a daycare is out on bond after investigators say an infant she was transporting was left in a vehicle for roughly eight hours and later found unresponsive.

Police reports say 62-year-old Hope Jones picked up the infant from the child’s foster mother just before 6:30 a.m. to bring the baby to Hope Academy, the daycare the reports identify as owned by Jones. Investigators allege the child was never taken out of the vehicle and was discovered unresponsive about eight hours later. Jones is facing criminal charges; the case is under active investigation, and court proceedings are ongoing.

The Arkansas Department of Education, which oversees licensed childcare programs in the state, shows Hope Academy had no violations recorded in the past year, the station reported. Child-safety advocates said that administrative compliance does not prevent every kind of tragic human error and urged tighter transport safeguards.

Amber Rowlands of Kids and Car Safety said small changes in routine can cause caregivers to lose awareness, and she recommended systems both families and providers can use to prevent missed drop-offs.

“To look before you lock,” Rowlands said. “Open the back door, check the back seat every single time you leave your vehicle, even if you don’t have the children with you.”

Rowlands and other advocates also pressed for written policies at child-care facilities requiring multiple people to confirm a child is removed from a vehicle during transport, and for families to adopt checklists and reminders when routines change.

The criminal investigation remains open. The station reported it contacted the daycare and city officials; no public comment from Hope Academy was recorded in the report. The next procedural step in the criminal case will be determined by prosecutors and the court schedule.