After originally saying the 14-month-old was alone only momentarily, the Ohio father apparently admitted to leaving the youngster to die in a scorching hot car as outside temperatures climbed.
Landon Parrott, 19, who initially claimed to have left the baby alone while taking a quick bathroom break, is said to have admitted to the heinous act after police presented surveillance footage of him leaving the child in the car at 8:30 a.m. and not returning until 1:50 p.m., more than five hours later.
“The child passed away after being left in the car unattended for approximately 5 hours, with an outside temperature of 87 degrees,” New Philadelphia Police Chief Michael Goodwin said in a statement posted on Facebook.
“It appears that this was not a matter of forgetting the child but was a deliberate act so as the child would not be a disturbance while in the house.”
When the incident happened on Thursday, temperatures were in the upper 80s. According to Fox affiliate WJW and police officer Ty Norris, the temperature inside the automobile may have reached 130 degrees.
“We estimate that would’ve made the interior of the car about 130 degrees and this child was in there strapped into a car seat with no fluids, no air conditioning, nothing,” Norris told the station. “It’s heartbreaking to see this unfold before your eyes.”
According to authorities, Parrott has been charged with murder, unintentional manslaughter, and two charges of endangering children. His detention is being kept under a $250,000 bond.
Kyler had a “sweet personality and sensitive approach with animals, especially at such a young age,” according to an online obituary.
The baby’s grandparents took to Facebook to mourn the loss of the young boy, who they remembered as an “active baby, always so curious” who loves “jamming out to Britney.”
“Justice will be served, but the purpose of this is to bring everyone’s attention to the existence of Kyler Phillip Allen Parrott,” Trevor and Casey Neering wrote.
“Kyler was an unexpected surprise who immediately changed our world in the best way, from the very beginning.”
