Toddler Dies After Being Left in Hot Truck While Father Was at Bar

FLORIDA, USA — A Florida father is facing multiple charges in connection with the death of his 18-month-old son, who was left in a hot pickup truck for over three hours while the man got a haircut and then went drinking at a local bar.

Scott Allen Gardner, 33, was arrested Thursday by the Volusia Sheriff’s Office in coordination with the Ormond Beach Police Department. He has been charged with aggravated manslaughter of a child and child neglect causing great bodily harm.

The tragic incident occurred on Friday, June 6, when Gardner left baby Sebastian locked in a truck parked outside Hanky Panky’s Lounge while temperatures climbed dangerously high. Authorities estimate that Sebastian’s body temperature reached 111°F before he was discovered.

Officials report that Gardner gave multiple false statements to police while under investigation. The same Ormond Beach officer who had tried to revive the child was the one who later arrested Gardner at his mother’s residence.

“This tragedy could have been avoided,” law enforcement stated. “A helpless child was left to die while his father sat drinking at a bar.”

Authorities have promised to release more details on the investigation Friday.