Tragic Incident: Toddler Dies in Overheated Truck While Father Was at the Bar, Says Volusia Sheriff

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – An Ormond Beach man was taken into custody on Thursday nearly two weeks following the death of his 18-month-old son, who was left “helpless” in a hot truck for several hours, as reported by the Volusia Sheriff’s Office.

In a release, deputies said that the man — identified as Scott Gardner, 33 — had left his son Sebastian in the truck for over three hours on June 6.

During that time, Gardner went in for a haircut and then went drinking at Hanky Panky’s Lounge, deputies added.

According to investigators, Gardner later provided several false accounts of what happened that day.

“Medical personnel estimated that Sebastian’s body temperature reached 111 degrees during this tragic incident,” stated the release. “The same OBPD officer who attempted to resuscitate Sebastian placed Gardner in handcuffs (on Thursday) when he was apprehended at his mother’s residence in Ormond Beach.”

Now, Gardner faces chargers of child neglect and aggravated manslaughter of a child. He is held on no bond.

However, the sheriff’s office provided body-camera footage of Gardner’s arrest, which can be viewed at the top of this story.

Per the sheriff’s office, Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood is scheduled to provide more details about the case in a news conference on Friday.

News 6 will stream the conference live at the top of this story when it happens.