Florida Dad Faces Charges After Toddler’s Tragic Hot Car Death Amid Haircut and Drinks

In a heartbreaking tragedy in Ormond Beach, Florida, 33-year-old Scott Allen Gardner faces charges of aggravated manslaughter and child neglect after his 18-month-old son, Sebastian, died in a swelteringly unbearable hot car. On June 6, while temperatures soared, Gardner allegedly left his toddler strapped in a truck for over three hours to get a haircut and enjoy drinks at Hanky Panky’s Lounge. The sheriff’s office reported the child’s body temperature reached a staggering 111 degrees, a grim testament to the lethal danger of leaving children in vehicles.

Gardner’s arrest, poignantly carried out by the same officer who tried to save Sebastian, came after he provided multiple false accounts of the day’s events, according to authorities. This incident marks Florida’s 115th child hot car death, with 2024 seeing a 35% spike in such tragedies nationwide, per the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Their stark warning: a child’s body heats up five times faster than an adult’s, making even a brief lapse in judgment potentially fatal.

The broader issue looms large—parents and caregivers must heed the call to never leave children unattended in vehicles, no matter how quick the errand. As summer’s heat intensifies, this devastating loss underscores the urgent need for vigilance.