MACCLENNY, Fla. – For 10 months, Ariya Renee Paige brought joy and happiness to her family, but the jubilation of having her around turned to sadness and frustration after her tragic death.
Several days after Ariya died from being left in a hot vehicle, her grandparents spoke on behalf of her parents and the rest of the family that is still trying to cope with her death. James and Pam Paige were Ariya’s grandparents, who said they wanted the world to know about Ariya and her loving parents.
Donations: Meal Train for The Paige Family
Ariya was born at Wolfson Children’s Hospital on September 4, 2022. At 11:31 a.m., she came into the world weighing 4 pounds 1 ounce and measuring 17 inches. Her grandparents recalled the moment they first laid eyes on her and the first time they held her.
“Our first granddaughter was so special. She came into the world six weeks earlier,” Pam said about her granddaughter.
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“It was like holding a brand-new baby as if it was my very own,” James Paige, Ariya’s grandfather, said.
The grandparents said they were not only proud of welcoming Ariya to the family but were also equally proud of the way their son and daughter-in-law cared for her.
“They were such good parents. Ariya was a daddy’s girl. And she was her momma’s mini-me,” Pam Paige, Ariya’s grandmother, said.
When Ariya would visit her grandparent’s house, the visits would turn into unforgettable funny moments.
“Any time I would be in her presence or enter the room and we first make eye contact, I would say, ‘That’s a granny’s girl. That’s a granny’s girl.’ And she would just laugh,” Pam said.
“My fondest moments were when I came in from work. She would look up at me and notice me. And then she would stretch her arms out for me to pick her up,” James said. “Then the first thing she does is grab a hold of my beard. She would pull my beard with all she’s got. Like she was trying to pull it off.”
James and Pam are holding on to those precious memories and the numerous photos of their granddaughter because that’s all they have left to remember.
Last week the 10-month-old died after Baker County deputies said 46-year-old Rhonda Jewell left Ariya in a hot SUV. Jewell was Ariya’s babysitter who, according to investigators, drove the child to a home on Estes Street in Macclenny. It was at that home where deputies said Ariya was left asleep in Jewell’s SUV while Jewell was babysitting other children that belonged to the homeowners.
Deputies said Ariya remained in the SUV for five hours until Ariya’s mom showed up to pick her up and discovered her child was left in a hot vehicle. Paramedics rushed Ariya to the hospital where doctors pronounced her deceased. Medical staff told detectives that Ariya had an internal body temperature of at least 110 degrees and an external temperature of 102.
“The last moments that we were able to spend with Ariya, to look at her, you didn’t see the result of what happened to her. You just saw that sweet baby. She was just asleep. And because she was asleep, I believe she just slept and didn’t wake up. The medical examiner confirmed that’s what happened,” Pam said.
According to an arrest report, Jewell told detectives she forgot that she left Ariya in her SUV when she arrived at the home to babysit other children who lived there. She was arrested and charged with negligent manslaughter.
Although she cooperated with detectives, it’s still unclear as to how she forgot to bring the baby into the house. Jewell is now out of jail on bond, awaiting her day in court.
For now, Ariya’s grandparents are doing their best to make sure her parents have the support they need to get through this difficult moment of losing a child. Her grandparents also told News4JAX that the outpouring of support from neighbors, friends and people they have never met has been wonderful.
A Meal Train account was set up to help Ariya’s parents. The account gives donators the choice of donating a meal to be dropped off or money to help the parents get through this difficult moment. As of Tuesday morning, more than 550 people donated more than $31,000.