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GoFundMe set up for Columbus toddler who died in hot car

A screenshot of the GoFundMe account for Kendrick Engram Jr., a 3-year-old who died after being left in a hot car for nearly three hours.
A screenshot of the GoFundMe account for Kendrick Engram Jr., a 3-year-old who died after being left in a hot car for nearly three hours. GoFundMe

A GoFundMe account has been set up to cover the funeral and burial expenses for a 3-year-old boy left in a hot car for nearly three hours.

Kendrick Engram Jr. was pronounced dead around 9 p.m. Sunday in the Wendy’s parking lot on Wynnton Road.

According to Muscogee County Coroner Buddy Bryan, Engram and three other children went to church with their grandmother around 11 a.m. After eating lunch and visiting the children’s mother, the grandmother took the children to her home around 5:30 p.m.

The other children got out of the vehicle, but Engram remained inside.

At approximately 8:15 p.m., Engram’s uncle borrowed the car to go to Wendy’s. Shortly after he left, the grandmother realized that Engram was missing.

She called the uncle, who found Engram in the vehicle.

In the U.S., Engram is one of seven who died from pediatric vehicular heatstroke in 2022, according to NoHeatStroke.org, a group that tracks such data.

This story was originally published June 30, 2022 at 12:15 PM.

Nick Wooten
Columbus Ledger-Enquirer
Nick Wooten is the Accountability/Investigative reporter for the Ledger-Enquirer where he is responsible for covering several topics, including Georgia politics. His work may also appear in the Macon Telegraph. Nick was given the Georgia Press Association’s 2021 Emerging Journalist award for his coverage of elections, COVID-19 and Columbus’ LGBTQ+ community. Before joining McClatchy, he worked for The (Shreveport La.) Times covering city government and investigations. He is a graduate of Mercer University in Macon, Georgia.
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