A Florida pastor was arrested following the death of her 11-month-old daughter in a hot car.
Bulaine Molme, a co-pastor at the Mount of Olives Evangelical Baptist Church in Palm Bay, Florida was arrested for the tragic event which unfolded as Molme mistakenly assumed that her youngest child, Fendra, was brought into the church for a Sunday service. Instead, the child was unintentionally left in the car during an 81-degree day.
Molme, 37, reportedly arrived late to the church service on May 28, along with her four children, ranging from 11 months to eight years old. She noticed her three older children heading into the church with another member, and she presumed her youngest was also taken inside, as per their usual Sunday practice. All of this occurred as she fetched her Bible and laptop from her Ford Explorer’s trunk.
That day, Molme parked on the side of the church building instead of her usual spot near the entrance, not realizing her youngest daughter was still in the vehicle. The child’s absence went unnoticed by both Molme and her husband, Jnmarc Molme, who was participating in the service as a pianist, until the service had ended.
The couple was alerted to their daughter’s absence by inquiries from others. They hurried to their car, only to discover Fendra in a lifeless state in her car seat. Despite immediate actions, including the father performing CPR, and rushing her to Palm Bay Community Hospital, the child could not be revived. Fendra’s death resulted from hyperthermia due to overheating, with her body temperature soaring to a fatal 108 degrees.
Bulaine Molme has since been arrested under suspicion of felony aggravated manslaughter of a child. After posting a $15,000 bond, she has been released from jail. Her arraignment is set for June 27.
