A Florida father is facing serious charges after his 18-month-old son died when left in a sweltering truck for over three hours while the man went out for drinks.
According to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, 33-year-old Scott Allen Gardner left his toddler, Sebastian, strapped in a rear-facing car seat inside his truck on June 6, while he went to a bar. Investigators say Gardner first got a haircut before heading to a local lounge, where he consumed beer and shots for several hours, leaving his young son behind in the vehicle.
IMAGE VIA – Volusia County SHERRIFS DEPARTMENT
Though the truck’s windows were partially rolled down and a small battery-powered fan had been aimed at the child, it wasn’t nearly enough to protect him from the extreme Florida heat. On that day, the temperature in nearby Daytona Beach reached 92°F, with the truck’s interior likely climbing much higher.
Authorities say that at one point, Gardner stepped outside to look at a minor car accident in the parking lot but failed to check on his son. It wasn’t until later that afternoon that Gardner made a frantic 911 call reporting that Sebastian was unresponsive.
First responders arrived to find the toddler without a pulse. He was transported to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Medical reports noted his body temperature exceeded 107°F, with officials estimating it may have reached 111°F inside the truck.
At a press conference, an emotional Sheriff Mike Chitwood expressed outrage over the incident. “There is no logical reason why this little guy is dead,” he said. “How in the world can you be so messed-up that you would allow your child to sit back there in Florida in 90-degree weather, walk outside and check on some car, and never go near your son? Never.”
Gardner has been charged with aggravated manslaughter of a child and child neglect causing great bodily harm.
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