An infant who died in a car fire near Tumwater on Tuesday has been identified.
Bodhi N. Shue, a 7-month-old boy, died inside a vehicle that was engulfed by flames, Thurston County Coroner Gary Warnock told The Olympian Thursday. The infant’s official cause of death will be released following a Friday exam, he added.
The tragedy occurred in the 300 block of 93rd Avenue Southeast, which is south of Olympia Regional Airport in Thurston County. First responders found a vehicle with “heavy fire” throughout the passenger compartment, according to an East Olympia Fire District news release. Shue’s father and multiple bystanders attempted to rescue the child, but they could not due to the “intense heat and heavy smoke,” the release states.
Firefighters “brought the fire under control” within about three minutes of arriving on the scene, per the release.
Thurston County Sheriff’s Office detectives are investigating the incident with local fire departments and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, according to a Sheriff’s Office news release.
Shue’s father left him in a parked car with two other children who were 12 and 2 years old, respectively, according to the Sheriff’s Office release. At the time, they were reportedly preparing to leave, and the father briefly returned inside the home.
When the fire started, the 12-year-old removed the 2-year-old from the vehicle and ran inside to alert the father, per the release. When the father returned outside, the vehicle was “fully engulfed in flames,” the release states.
The release incorrectly stated that Shue was 5 months old. He was 7 months old.
Several people who attempted to rescue the infant sustained burn injuries, according to the release. First responders transported the father, other injured individuals and children to a local hospital for evaluation and treatment, according to the two releases.
When reached for comment Wednesday, ATF spokesperson Anna Schmidt confirmed the bureau had Certified Fire Investigators on scene who were assisting the Sheriff’s Office. Schmidt said the CFIs were completing an “Origin and Cause” report for this incident. She said she was unable to estimate when the report may be completed.
“Tragically, this fire claimed the life of an infant,” Schmidt said. “As with all cases, our CFIs are committed to conducting a thorough and meticulous investigation with compassion. These cases demand careful examination to ensure the facts are established accurately.”
The Olympian asked the Sheriff’s Office for more information about the incident.
“This is a sensitive one,” Lt. Cameron Simper said on Thursday. “We’re not going to release any further information until we get better info from the ATF regarding their portion of the investigation.”
However, he did confirm that there is currently no danger to the community. The affected vehicle was a 2004 Ford F-350 pickup truck, he added.
Bodhi Shue plays in a tub full of rubbery duckies. Shue died in a vehicle fire on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, near Tumwater. He was 7-months-old. Courtesy of Jasmine Whittaker
A GoFundMe for the family has raised over $30,000 as of Thursday afternoon.
The organizer, Angela Longnecker-Davis, identified Shue’s parents as Jasmine Whittaker and Brandon Shue.
“Jasmine and Brandon are facing an unimaginable tragedy,” the GoFundMe description states. “Their 7-month-old son, Bodhi, was lost in a devastating car fire.”
Whittaker’s sister, the 12-year-old involved in the incident, “played a heroic role in helping save” the 2-year-old. The description states the couple have custody of the 12-year-old and that the 2-year-old is Bodhi Shue’s sibling.
“The family is now left to cope with the heartbreak and the overwhelming challenges that follow such a loss,” the description states. “… Please help Jasmine and Brandon as they navigate this heartbreaking time. Your support will mean so much as they try to heal and rebuild their lives after this unimaginable loss.”
Whittaker shared the GoFundMe in a Facebook post. She wrote that her husband’s truck broke down the day before, leaving them with only her vehicle. The morning of the tragedy, she wrote that she woke up early so her husband could drive her to work.
“As I was walking out the door that morning, I didn’t kiss my children goodbye,” Whittaker wrote. “I had no idea that would be the last time I would ever see my baby boy.”
Her husband informed her of what happened during a phone call, Whittaker wrote, and she heard the “sheer terror in his voice” when he said he could not get Bodhi out, she wrote.
Whittaker wrote that her husband did everything he could to rescue Bodhi Shue, but the fire spread too fast.
“The pain he carries is indescribable,” Whittaker wrote. “Even after first responders arrived awaiting a fire truck, he kept talking to our boy and never left his side.”
Whittaker is taking time away from work to grieve, and the family no longer has a working vehicle, she wrote.
“Any donation, no matter the amount, will help us tremendously,” Whittaker wrote. “If you’re unable to donate, kind words, prayers, and sharing our story mean more than you know. We see the love and support from our community, and we are endlessly grateful. Thank you for standing beside our family during the hardest time of our lives.”
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Martín Bilbao
The Olympian
Martín Bilbao reports on Thurston County government, courts and breaking news. He joined The Olympian in November 2020 and previously worked for The Bellingham Herald and Daily Bruin. He was born in Ecuador and grew up in California.
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