A toddler in Florida has died after being left in a hot vehicle for over five hours, according to the police. The boy’s father is facing charges in connection with his death.
James Fidele called 911 to report that he never took his son out of the family’s SUV when he came home earlier in the day, which was stated in his arrest report from the Port St. Lucie Police Department. Fidele was instructed to begin steps to revive the boy until officers and paramedics arrived.
The child was transported to St. Lucie Medical Center but was pronounced dead on arrival, having registered a body temperature of 107 degrees, the report said.
Investigators said Fidele and his girlfriend were sharing one vehicle while his car was “in the shop,” and he had been responsible for taking the toddler and four other children, ages 7 to 15, to school each day.
Fidele arrived home around 8 a.m. after dropping the other children off at school, but it wasn’t until 1 p.m. that he realized his son had been left inside the SUV, he told the officers.
The vehicle had a safety mechanism that reminded the driver to check the rear seat, but Fidele told the officers he never paid attention to the warning.
The 37-year-old father has been charged with leaving a child in a motor vehicle unattended, which caused great bodily harm. The Florida Department of Children and Families was notified of the incident.