A father in Florida has been charged following the heartbreaking death of his 18-month-old son, who was left in a sweltering vehicle earlier this month while he visited a barber and a bar. Scott Allen Gardner, 33, faces charges of aggravated manslaughter and child neglect causing significant bodily harm, according to the Volusia Sheriff’s Office.
On June 6, Gardner reportedly left his son Sebastian in a parked truck for over three hours, during which the toddler’s body temperature soared to an estimated 111 degrees. Authorities noted that Gardner provided inconsistent accounts of the events leading to his son’s death.
Gardner was arrested at his mother’s residence in Ormond Beach by the same officer who attempted to perform lifesaving measures on the child. The alarming incident marks the seventh reported car-related heat death in the current year, with statistics indicating a troubling rise in such fatalities. This year alone, 39 children have perished from heatstroke in vehicles, representing a 35% increase from the previous year.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) emphatically warns against leaving children unattended in vehicles, stressing that their body temperature can escalate rapidly, creating dangerous situations. Experts encourage vigilance to prevent further tragedies like this.
Source: www.foxnews.com
