Man thought he took grandson to day care, but he was dead in the pickup, AL cops say
A 2-year-old boy died after his grandfather accidentally left him in the backseat of his pickup truck for hours — even as he drove from work to home for lunch and back, an Alabama prosecutor said.
The boy’s grandfather thought he had dropped off the toddler at his day care in Oneonta before going to work on the morning of Tuesday, Sept. 20, Blount County District Attorney Pamela Casey said in a news conference shared by WTVM. The child spent several hours in the backseat of his grandfather’s truck and eventually died from “prolonged exposure to heat.”
At one point the grandfather got back into the pickup and drove home for lunch, walked outside to smoke a cigarette and was “playing a game on his phone” before returning to work — with his grandson in a front-facing car seat in the backseat, according to an arrest warrant affidavit.
The high temperature that day was 90 degrees in Oneonta, which is about 40 miles north of Birmingham.
The grandfather, who McClatchy News is not identifying, is charged with reckless manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide, according to the affidavit.
Family members found the child shortly after 3 p.m. on Sept. 20, according to Oneonta Police Department. He was found in the parking lot of his day care, but he was not under the care of the day care when he was found.
“These are not intentional acts, these are reckless acts and or criminally negligent acts,” Casey said. “It’s awful. My heart breaks for this family.”
There have been at least 30 hot vehicle deaths in the United States this year — including three on Sept. 20 — according to Kids and Car Safety.
The case remains under investigation, the police department said.
Make sure your child is not left in a vehicle
- “Place the child’s diaper bag or item in the front passenger seat as a visual cue that the child is with you.”
- “Make it a habit of opening the back door every time you park to ensure no one is left behind.”
- “Ask your child care provider to call you right away if your child hasn’t arrived as scheduled.”
- Clearly announce and confirm who is getting each child out of the vehicle.”
Source: Kids and Car Safety
This story was originally published September 22, 2022 at 12:06 PM with the headline "Man thought he took grandson to day care, but he was dead in the pickup, AL cops say."
