Girl's Injuries and Death Scrutinized in Montgomery

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Montgomery County police are investigating the death of a 3-year-old girl who arrived with her mother and brother at a fire station Thursday night with still-unexplained injuries.

About 10 p.m., the mother and her two children showed up at a BP gas station in Potomac. The mother was acting erratically enough that employees grew concerned and called police, authorities said. The family was gone by the time police arrived.

The family was dropped off at the fire station about an hour later. The 3-year-old, Jasmine Afolabi, was soon pronounced dead. Police are trying to figure out what happened during that hour.

"The investigation is still wide open," said Lucille Baur, a department spokeswoman.

Police are seeking people who saw the family walking in the River Road and Maidens Bower Drive areas, or who might have seen a possible wreck.

Detectives yesterday spoke to three drivers who gave the family rides during the night. "We have no reason to believe they did anything but try to assist this family," Baur said.

She didn't release the names of the 38-year-old mother, who is from Gaithersburg, or her 4-year-old son, saying they might be witnesses in the case. The department, by policy, doesn't reveal the names of witnesses.

No charges had been filed as of late yesterday, and police didn't release details about the exact cause of death.

Officers were called about 9:30 p.m. to search an unoccupied Toyota Sienna minivan, parked along River Road in a hilly part of Montgomery County with a more rural character than sections closer to the District.

About a half-hour later, officers were called to the BP station, at River and Falls roads, police said. Employees told them about the family, which had been given a ride by a passing motorist after having car trouble.

The employees also told officers they "were concerned about the mental state of the woman and the care that the children were receiving," police said.

Another motorist -- in a silver or white sport-utility vehicle -- took the family back in the direction of the abandoned Toyota, police said.

At 10:51 p.m., police were called about a suspicious situation: A woman was seen carrying an unresponsive child with another child walking next to her in the roadway. At some point, a third motorist drove the family to Fire Station 10, 8001 River Rd., in Bethesda where they arrived at 11:08 p.m.

By this point, the girl "was severely injured and had trauma," said Lt. Paul Starks, a police spokesman.

Rescue workers at the fire station took the child to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead, police said.

Detectives are asking anyone who might have seen the family Thursday night or who might have information to call 240-773-5070.

Staff writer Howard Schneider contributed to this report.