A family is in mourning after a 5-year-old boy died inside a van outside a West Memphis, Arkansas, day care, a traumatic experience that has one mother wanting to move her child somewhere else.

The woman, who did not want to be identified, was shocked when she learned a 5-year-old boy died at Ascent Child Services, the same place she sends her son several times a week.

“My son is not going back. He’s not,” said the parent.

West Memphis police said the boy was picked up at 7 a.m. Monday, but he never made it off of the bus.

“We have to sign our children on to the bus. Sign them off of the bus. They don’t know that a child’s not there. They have to know,” said the parent. “Any children to go through this is just heartbreaking.”

Parents that WHBQ spoke with said they've dealt with minor issues at the day care, but nothing of this magnitude.

WHBQ reached out to Ascent for comment but did not get a response.

West Memphis police said no charges have been filed, but that’s likely to change.

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Austin Walters died from an overdose in 2021 after taking a Xanax pill laced with fentanyl, his father said. A new law named after Austin and aimed at preventing deaths from fentanyl has resulted in its first convictions in Georgia, prosecutors said. (Family photo)

Credit: Family photo