A child’s guardian has been arrested in Vagina after leaving the toddler in a hot car, where police found him deceased.
WSLS reported that on Thursday, around 3:30 p.m., deputies were called to the Chestnut Academy Daycare in Amherst. Upon arriving, they found 2-year-old Hudley Owen Hamlett unresponsive.
AccuWeather indicated that the temperatures in Amherst reached approximately 90 degrees outside, on the day in question.
Brian Lee Dalton, said to be the child’s custodian, had reportedly planned to drop him off at daycare that morning before work. It is believed Dalton forgot about Hudley and went to work instead, leaving the toddler in the car all day, according to WDBJ7.
Sheriff Jimmy Ayers, with the Amherst County Sheriff’s Office, said that there is no indication that Dalton left the child intentionally. According to Ayers, Dalton discovered the boy was in the car after he arrived at the daycare to pick up Hudley.
Once there, the daycare explained to Dalton that he was not at the facility. Dalton then discovered the toddler in the backseat of his vehicle.
During a news conference streamed by WSET Ayers said, “It’s just a tragedy that we never, never expect to happen, never should happen, but it’s unfortunate that it did.”
Dalton has been charged with involuntary manslaughter and abuse and neglect of a child.
According to the Sheriff, Dalton has been working with the investigation, and the daycare center is not liable for the boy’s death.
Hudley is the 7th death of a child in a hot car for the month and the 19th in the country for the year, Jan Null, CCM, Adjunct Professor of Meteorology, told CrimeOnline in an emailed statement.
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[Feature Photo: Amherst County Sheriff’s Office]
