By By Adam Prestridge
An elderly Atmore woman who was locked in a hot car in the Wal-Mart parking lot in Bay Minette on July 27 died last Sunday at the Atmore Nursing Center.
Authorities with the Bay Minette Police Department announced Tuesday that they will include the death of 95-year-old Annie R. Brown in the case against her son, who is accused of locking his mother in the car.
According to a release issued by the Bay Minette P.D. Brown's son, Will Thomas Brown, 68, of the Nokomis Community west of Atmore, left her inside a 1990 Mercury Grand Marquis with the windows up and the vehicle turned off. Police estimated at the time that the temperature inside the vehicle reached over 110 degrees and that she had been sitting in the parked car for approximately 45 minutes.
Will Brown, who was later charged with one count of elderly abuse and neglect, was released on a 5,000 bond on July 28, a day following the incident. The charges are a Class B felony with a possible penalty of two years to 20 years in prison.
Police later noted several bruises and cuts on Annie Brown, who was treated and released from North Baldwin Infirmary. She stayed at Atmore Nursing Center until her death.
According to published reports following Annie Brown's death, Bay Minette Police Department decided to include the details of her death when they present the case to the grand jury. Officials stated that they are concerned that she passed away so soon after the incident.
As of Thursday, the state medical examiner's office in Mobile was to perform an autopsy on Annie Brown, but is uncertain if the incident contributed to her death.
Bay Minette Police chief Michael Rowland was unavailable for comment.