Volsia County, Fla. (WFLA) — Volsia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood has accused his father of being accused of dying his 18-month-old son of a hot car.
Volsia County Councilman worked with the Ormond Beach Police Department to arrest Scott Allen Gardner, 33.
Investigators said Gardner left his son Sebastian on a hot truck on June 6 for over three hours, got a haircut and went for a drink in Hanky Panky’s lounge.
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Meanwhile, Sebastian’s temperature reached 111 degrees.
Investigators say Gardner found his son dead in the car after he left the bar.
Instead of calling 911, deputies say Gardner drove to his mother’s house and then asked for help, but by that time Sebastian had been dead for about an hour or two.
The sheriff said Gardner went out to drink more drinks in the lounge with his mother after the death of the toddler.
Gardner reportedly reportedly gave multiple false statements to authorities about what happened.
“This father is human garbage, and he’s lying (exped). He’s exactly where he is: behind the bar.”
Gardner was charged with worsening child abuse and manslaughter.
“My hope for him is every night he closes his eyes, and every morning he opens his eyes, his son Sebastian sits there and says, ‘Daddy, why did you do this to me?”,” Chitwood said. “There’s no reason for this little boy to die.”
