An Alabama man is facing a manslaughter charge after his 1-year-old son was found dead inside a hot vehicle on Wednesday afternoon, according to local authorities.
Logan Keith Chewning, 30, was arrested by the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff’s Office following the incident. Police and emergency crews responded at around 5:00 p.m. to a residential home located in the 11000 block of Stone Ridge Court, where family members had discovered the unresponsive toddler still buckled into his car seat.
Investigators confirmed that Chewning was the sole caregiver for the child throughout the day on Wednesday. During this time, temperatures in the Tuscaloosa County area climbed into the mid-90s.
According to Tuscaloosa County Sheriff’s Captain Jack Kennedy, Chewning admitted to investigators that he had been consuming alcohol at multiple points during the day. He also noted that Chewning left the home at least once to buy more alcohol.
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“The father admitted to drinking at different times throughout the day and leaving the residence at one time to purchase more alcohol,” Kennedy told local reporters.
Chewning reportedly told officers that he believed his son was asleep in his crib inside the house, claiming that he had accidentally left the boy in the vehicle. While authorities have not released an exact timeline regarding how many hours the toddler spent inside the car, Captain Kennedy stated that the initial investigation indicates it was for an extended period. Investigators noted that Chewning could not provide an explanation for why he did not check on the child during that timeframe.
Chewning was booked into the Tuscaloosa County Jail, where he is currently being held without bond. The identity of the 1-year-old boy has not been released by police, and an autopsy has been scheduled to determine the exact cause of death. The investigation remains active.
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