Toddler dies after being left in 105-degree car by drunk father for 9 hours

0 1 minute read

Toddler Dies After Being Left in Sweltering Car by Father in Louisiana

A tragic incident unfolded in Louisiana when a toddler lost her life after being left in a hot car by her father for nine hours on a scorching 105-degree day. Joseph Boatman, 32, is accused of strapping his 1-year-old daughter into her car seat and abandoning her in the vehicle on the hottest day of the year in Madisonville, a town located approximately 30 miles north of New Orleans.

According to the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office (STPSO), Boatman picked up his daughter from a relative around 2 a.m. on Sunday and left her in the car seat. Temperatures soared to a dangerous 105 degrees that day, creating a life-threatening situation for the child.

Joseph Boatman allegedly left his 1-year-old daughter to die in a sweltering car after he had been drinking. St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office

Prior to picking up his daughter, Boatman had reportedly consumed multiple alcoholic beverages. After placing the child in the car, he went back inside and failed to return for her. It wasn’t until around noon that a family member discovered the unresponsive toddler inside the vehicle.

Sheriff Randy Smith of the STPSO expressed the devastating nature of the tragedy, emphasizing the dangers of leaving a child in a hot car. He highlighted the rapid escalation of heat-related risks in such situations and lamented the heartbreaking outcome of Boatman’s compromised judgment.

Boatman, a resident of Hammond, LA, was arrested on charges of second-degree murder and remains in custody on a $750,000 bond. Details regarding his legal representation and upcoming court proceedings have not been disclosed at this time.