Update: Infant's death accidental

Posted: Jun 26, 2012 3:38 PM by Tonya LaCoste
Updated: Jun 26, 2012 3:46 PM

KATC has learned the father of an 11-month-old, who died in a vehicle Monday, accidentally left the boy in his vehicle for nearly six hours. "It was learned that the father of the child forgot to deliver the baby to the daycare center and proceeded straight to work. After receiving a call inquiring about his son's whereabouts the father realized the child had been inside the vehicle throughout the day," said Lafayette Sheriff's Office spokesperson Capt. Kip Judice.

The child's father rushed his son to Women's and Children's Hospital around 4:54 Monday afternoon, and the boy was pronounced dead at 4:55. "Investigators have confirmed the exterior temperature reached 99 degrees on Monday. Inside a closed vehicle, temperatures would be considerably higher," said Judice.

The Lafayette Parish Coroner is conducting additional forensic testing to determine the cause of death. The results of the sheriff's office investigation will likely be turned over to the district attorney's office for review.