Paralyzed Missouri woman, 36, dies trapped in hot car after running out of gas during road trip with young nieces who escaped
Paralyzed Missouri woman, 36, dies trapped in hot car after running out of gas on road trip with young nieces who escaped
- Megan Oxley, 36, left Kennett and traveled south on Highway 412 on Friday before getting stuck in temperatures exceeding 100 degrees Fahrenheit
- Her black caravan ran out of gas and her family became concerned when they hadn’t heard from her by Saturday morning
- Oxley’s two nieces were able to get out of the car and tried to help her, but they couldn’t because of their young age and because she is paralyzed from the waist down.
A paralyzed woman in Missouri died after getting trapped in a hot car when she ran out of gas on a road trip with her young nieces who managed to escape.
Megan Oxley, 36, had just left Kennett and was driving south on Highway 412 Friday before being stuck for hours in temperatures over 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
Her black caravan ran out of gas and her family became concerned when they hadn’t heard from her by Saturday morning.
Oxley’s sister Amber Jones alerted the Dunklin County Sheriff’s Department and reported them missing. Authorities managed to track her location using her phone, but found her dead in the driver’s seat.
Her two nieces were able to get out of the car and tried to help her, but they couldn’t because of their young age and because she is paralyzed from the waist down.
A paralyzed woman in Missouri died after getting trapped in a hot car when she ran out of gas on a road trip with her young nieces who managed to escape
Megan Oxley, 36, had just left Kennett and was driving south on Highway 412 on Friday before being stuck for hours in temperatures over 100 degrees Fahrenheit
“I assumed maybe she was staying with someone or someone was coming to get her, but no one could get a hold of her,” Oxley’s sister Amber said. KAIT.
“And the next morning we were pretty freaked out. We called the police and got involved.’
Oxley’s phone was down by the time the sheriff began the search, but officers were able to get a ping from it near 522 County Road.
They quickly arrived at the scene and found small footprints outside the car indicating the children could get out.
Oxley was found dead in the driver’s seat. Her nieces were safe and were taken to hospital for treatment due to heat exhaustion.
It was later discovered that the two girls were trying to help their aunt climb out of the vehicle.
But because of her disability and their young age, they couldn’t.
Sheriff Bob Holder said they were too young to realize the danger their aunt was in from the high temperatures.
The kids are now in good shape and Megan’s sister Melissa Jones is relieved that her daughter is alive.
“I’m so thankful, I’m so glad she’s alive,” she said. “I was terrified, very scared.”
Her black caravan ran out of gas and her family became concerned when they hadn’t heard from her by Saturday morning. Her two nieces were able to get out of the car and tried to help her
Oxley’s sisters are heartbroken after her death
But her sister’s death left her devastated.
“She was happy when I last saw her, smiling and talking to me,” Melissa added. “She was just so full of life.”
Amber shared a heartbreaking tribute to her sister on Facebook, saying her death came shortly after their brother Billy died.
“Why do I have to live in a world where my siblings don’t? Why did they have to leave me so quickly?’ she wrote on Saturday.
‘My world is broken. I am broke. I don’t know how we’re going to get through this.’
“Megan Oxley, we always promised we’d be sisters and best friends,” she continued.
“Life got in the way at times, but I never imagined my world without you. Even though you always made fun of my freckles and teased me for being younger, you were the big sister I could always count on.
‘I will love you forever.’
The family has thanked everyone involved in the search for their sister and daughters.