Latest news with #SebastianGardner
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
Toddler Dies After ‘Piece of Garbage' Dad Allegedly Left Him in ‘Hot Truck' to Drink and Get a Haircut, Sheriff Says
Sebastian Gardner, an 18-month-old boy, died after his dad Scott Gardner allegedly left him in a 'hot truck' for over three hours to drink and get a haircut on June 6, authorities claim Sebastian was left alone in the backseat with just a small fan as the vehicle's temperature hit 111 degrees that day in Ormond Beach, Fla., medical personnel estimated 'This father is a human piece of garbage, and he's a lying sack of s---,' Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood said in a briefingA toddler's life was cut short after his dad allegedly left him in a vehicle in the Florida heat for hours while he got a haircut and drank at a bar. On Thursday, June 19, the Volusia County Sheriff's Office (VCSO) and the Ormond Beach Police Department (OBPD) arrested the father, Scott Gardner, on charges of aggravated manslaughter of a child and child neglect causing great bodily harm, authorities said in a news release. The arrest came nearly two weeks after the death of his son, 18-month-old Sebastian Gardner. The toddler spent over three hours in the backseat of a 'hot truck' on June 6 while his dad, 33, spent time in Classic Cuts and Hanky Panky's Lounge, a barber shop and cocktail lounge located near each other in Ormond Beach, according to the sheriff's office. The Florida dad allegedly left Sebastian in the backseat of the truck with the windows down, no air conditioning and a small, battery-powered fan pointed at the toddler, Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood said during an emotional news briefing on Friday, June 20. Scott allegedly left Sebastian in the vehicle around 11:30 a.m. as he went to get his haircut, according to a timeline investigators provided. He then finished his haircut and headed to Hanky Panky's around noon, where he stayed and drank until at least 2 p.m., police said. During his time in the bar, a customer 'backed into a bartender's car,' and Scott came outside to investigate the damage to the vehicle, investigators said. He did not check on Sebastian before heading back into the bar to order more drinks, per Chitwood. At around 2:40 p.m., Gardner left Hanky Panky's, drove a 'short distance' home, and then proceeded to call 911 to report that Sebastian was not breathing, Chitwood said. 'My son's not breathing. A year and a half. Oh my god. He just had his eyes open. Oh my god, Sebastian,' the father says in a recording of the 911 call. However, investigators said the toddler was dead one to two hours before his dad contacted authorities. Following the call, an officer with the OBPD responded to the scene, but could not perform CPR, as the toddler's body had already gone into rigor mortis, according to Chitwood. Unresponsive, the 18-month-old was then taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 3:30 p.m. The toddler's temperature was over 107 degrees when he arrived at hospital, leading medical personnel to estimate that the temperature in the vehicle peaked at 111 degrees, Chitwood said. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. After Sebastian was pronounced dead and the investigation into the June 6 incident was underway — with Scott's account conflicting with assessment of hospital staff — the toddler's father headed back to Hanky Panky's for drinks, according to the sheriff. Scott, along with his mom, stayed at the bar until 'almost midnight,' he said. Witnesses at the bar said the pair 'didn't seem as distraught as you would expect someone to be for the child having just passed,' one investigator said in the news briefing, adding that this 'is consistent with the interactions that we had with [Scott] at the hospital.' Investigators also said in the June 20 news briefing that they do not believe Scott's mother was made aware of her grandson's death at that point. Though police said Scott ultimately confessed, the confession came after he 'gave multiple false accounts of what occurred' the day of his son's death, per the sheriff's office. 'This father is a human piece of garbage,' Chitwood said during the news briefing. "And he's a lying sack of s---.' "There's no logical reason why this little guy is dead,' Chitwood continued of the toddler, later adding that the situation "absolutely shocks the conscience." "We've seen it, people forget their kids in the back seat, but this was completely different,' the sheriff said. 'This was intentional. That's what the charges are for.' Read the original article on People
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- Yahoo
Toddler dies in hot car after ‘dad left him to get haircut and drink at bar for three hours'
An 18-month-old boy has died after he was allegedly left 'helpless in a hot truck' for over three hours by his father, who went for a haircut and then drinking at a local bar. Sebastian Gardner was found unresponsive in a parked vehicle on the afternoon of Friday, June 6, in Ormond Beach, Florida. Despite an officer's attempts to perform CPR at the scene, the child could not be revived. Medical personnel believe Sebastian's body temperature reached 111 degrees while trapped inside the vehicle. His father, 33-year-old Scott Allen Gardner, is accused of leaving him in the truck while he visited a bar after a haircut, according to ABC News. Gardner was arrested on Thursday, June 19, by the Volusia Sheriff's Office and Ormond Beach Police Department. He is charged with aggravated manslaughter of a child and child neglect causing great bodily harm. Police say Gardner gave multiple false accounts of what happened before his arrest. In a tragic twist, the officer who had performed CPR on Sebastian was the same one who placed Gardner in handcuffs. In a statement, authorities said: 'Gardner is responsible for the death of his 18-month-old son Sebastian, who was left helpless in a hot truck for more than 3 hours on the afternoon of Friday, June 6, while Gardner got a haircut and then went drinking inside Hanky Panky's Lounge. 'It was estimated by medical personnel that Sebastian's body temperature reached 111 degrees during this tragedy. 'The same OBPD officer who tried to revive Sebastian placed Gardner in handcuffs today as he was taken into custody at his mother's home in Ormond Beach.' Police said the investigation remains ongoing, with more details expected to follow.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Daily Mail
Toddler found dead in hot car with body temperature of 110 degrees in Florida while father was in 'Hanky Panky lounge'
A Florida toddler baked to death after his father left him in the back of a hot car while he went drinking at a bar, police said. Sebastian Gardner, 18 months, had a body temperature of more than 110 degrees when he was found in the back of the vehicle on June 6. His father, Scott Allen Gardner, 33, of South Daytona, was arrested on aggravated manslaughter of a child and child neglect charges on Thursday in connection with his death. Gardner allegedly left his son in his truck in 92F heat for more than three hours while he got a haircut and went drinking inside Ormond Beach's Hanky Panky's Lounge, Volusia Sheriff's Office said. 'During the investigation, Gardner gave multiple false accounts of what occurred that day,' police said. A neighbor told 6 ABC that Gardner told her the little boy died of a fever. Police attempted to revive Sebastian, whose body temperature was 111 degrees, but were unsuccessful. Authorities apprehended Gardner at his mother's house in Ormond Beach, placing him in cuffs in what appeared to be a screened outdoor seating area. The same Ormond Beach Police officer who attempted to revive Sebastian arrested the father-of-one, Volusia Sheriff's Office revealed. 'Honey, I love you,' his mother, Jody Thereault, can be heard saying on the arrest footage. 'Love you, guys!' he replied, looking worried as they guided him toward the squad car. 'Say goodbye, because you're not going to come back here again,' an unidentified male said. Gardner was booked into the county jail on a $100,000 bond. The family started a now-closed GoFundMe for the child's funeral expenses, garnering $2,828. 'During this time of profound grief, as we [mourn] the sudden and unexpected passing of little Sebastian,' the fundraiser, created before Gardner's arrest, read. 'I ask for prayers for Scott Gardner, Jodi (Martineau) Thereault and family as well as help with raising money for any possible expenses and other needs that may arise as his family will need to take time off from work to grieve, make arrangements, and support each other through this tragic loss. 'No parent should ever have to experience the pain of losing a child. I hope they can find some comfort in the love and support surrounding them.' The family described the little boy as having a 'bright light', who will 'forever remain in the hearts of all who knew and loved him'. The Daily Mail has contacted the family for comment. Last year, nearly 40 children died of heat stroke from being left inside a car. There have been seven such deaths so far this year. Nearly 90 percent of children who die in hot cars are below the age of three and are usually, 'unknowingly left by an otherwise loving, responsible parent or caregiver,' according to Kids and Car Safety. The organization recommends parents leave a baby-related item, like a diaper bag, in the front seat of the car as a reminder or make a habit of opening the backdoor every time they leave their vehicle. It also recommended they make sure children do not have access to a parked, hot car and to keep keys out of children's reach.
Fox News
2 days ago
- Fox News
Florida dad arrested after toddler dies in hot car while he allegedly got hair cut, 'went drinking': police
A Florida dad was arrested on Thursday in connection with the death of his toddler, who was left inside a hot car earlier this month while he got a haircut and a drink, according to law enforcement. Scott Allen Gardner, 33, was charged with aggravated manslaughter of a child and child neglect causing great bodily harm in the death of his 18-month-old son Sebastian, the Volusia Sheriff's Office said. Officers with the Ormond Beach Police Department assisted in Gardner's arrest. Gardner's son was "left helpless in a hot truck for more than three hours" during the afternoon of June 6 while he got a haircut and "went drinking inside Hanky Panky's Lounge," the sheriff's office said, adding that medical personnel estimated that the toddler's body temperature reached 111 degrees. The sheriff's office also said Gardner gave "multiple false accounts" of what took place on the day Sebastian died. Gardner, who was taken into custody at his mother's home in Ormond Beach, was handcuffed by the same Ormond Beach officer who tried to revive his son. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said to "never leave a child in a vehicle unattended for any length of time" and that "rolling windows down or parking in the shade does little to change the interior temperature of the vehicle." "A child's body temperature rises three to five times faster than an adult's. When a child is left in a vehicle, that child's temperature can rise quickly – and the situation can quickly become dangerous," according to the NHTSA. "In 2024, 39 children died of heatstroke in vehicles — up 35% from 2023," according to a report on the agency's website. Sebastian is the seventh hot car death this year and the 115th child in Florida to die in a hot car, the National Security Council's website said.
