Law Enforcement
Virginia: Child left in car for hours dies, father commits suicide
The minor was accidentally left inside a vehicle for hours
June 30, 2022 12:17pm
Updated: June 30, 2022 12:38pm
A child that accidentally left in a vehicle for hours died on Tuesday and his father was found dead in an apparent suicide inside their Virginia home.
Chesterfield County Police revealed in a press release that they received a phone call around 11:45 a.m. reporting an 18-month-old child who was abandoned in a vehicle.
Lt. Col. Christopher Hansley said police contacted the child's mother and family members, who reported that the child did not attend daycare and may be in danger, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune. Police also revealed that the child's father was at home making suicidal statements.
Officers responding to the emergency call went to the home where they found his body. The man was found lifeless in the woods behind the house with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
"It's just a tragedy on so many levels," Hensley said. "Our hearts go out to the family and friends who are going to be dealing with this."
The investigation revealed that the father accidentally left the child inside the vehicle for several hours. When he discovered that his son was deceased, he returned home and left the child's body inside, then went outside and shot himself.
