Kelly Brown, a 41-year-old Pennsylvania mother, has declared herself guilty of involuntary murder for the death of her young daughter, Fiona, who was found alive inside a car parked in Maine during a day of high temperatures.
Brown was also found guilty of animal cruelty aggravated by the death of Penelope, the family's 13-year-old dog, found alongside the girl inside the same vehicle.
The court agreement stipulates that Brown will be sentenced to between 20 and 25 years in prison, as long as the judge accepts the agreed terms. The verdict is scheduled for November, according to information from the Maine Attorney General’s Office cited by WMTW.
Fiona and Penelope were found on August 9, 2025 inside a SUV parked in front of the Freshies store in Milford, by agents from the Penobscot County Sheriff's Office.
Officials said the windows of the vehicle were closed and the car remained insured.
The investigation later determined that Brown had left the girl and the animal inside the vehicle several hours before they were found.
On the day Fiona died, temperatures in Milford reached 82 degrees Fahrenheit, equivalent to about 28 degrees Celsius, according to the criminal complaint.
The child was transferred to the Maine Chief Forensic Doctor’s Office in Augusta, where an autopsy was carried out on August 11, 2025.
The assistant forensic doctor concluded that hypertermia was the most likely cause of his death.
The investigation also established that Brown had left Fiona and Penelope inside the SUV hours before they were localized.
The case involved investigators from Maine State Police and the Northern Major Crimes Unit, who collaborated with the investigation.
When authorities located Brown, the woman was near the place where her daughter and her pet were found.
According to authorities, Brown initially told them that she had been camping near the Penobscot River with the girl and that, while throwing garbage, she had been dragged by the current.
However, the officers noticed that the woman was completely dry.
The court documents also point out that Brown and his daughter had previously been the subject of a localization attempt to verify their well-being, after family members expressed concern for them.
Brown’s mother had requested that review after, according to the documents, the woman had begun to post strange messages on social media.
Images from surveillance cameras became an important part of the investigation. According to court documents quoted by WMTW, the recordings showed Brown left the girl and the dog inside the vehicle hours before they were found.
The woman agreed to declare herself guilty of involuntary murder of a family member or member of the household and aggravated animal cruelty.
