Connecticut Man Charged In Death Of 15-Month-Old Son In Hot Car
RIDGEFIELD, Conn. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Homicide charges were filed against a Connecticut father Tuesday, after his 15-month-old son died in a hot car this past summer.
As WCBS 880's Marla Diamond reported Tuesday, Kyle Seitz of Ridgefield surrendered to police after learning there was a warrant out for his arrest. His 15-month-old, Benjamin, had been strapped in his car seat for more than seven hours in July.
Connecticut Man Charged In Death Of 15-Month-Old Son In Hot Car
Seitz thought he had taken Benjamin to day care, authorities said.
The local medical examiner determined that Benjamins's death was the result of hyperthermia due to environmental exposure, CBS Connecticut reported.
Even though the death was accidental, the charge of criminally negligent homicide that Seitz received is standard, according to Quinnipiac University criminal law professor William Dunlap.
"Criminally negligent homicide, which is the misdemeanor that he's being charged with, does not require any intent," Dunlap said. "It simply requires that he acted with criminal negligence.
Since the accident, Seitz's wife has been lobbying for devices in cars that would alert a parent that a child is in the back seat.
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