A South Carolina father will not face charges after his twin sons di*ed after he left them in a hot car.
On September 1, Brycen and Brayden McDaniel were discovered d*ead inside a car outside the Sunshine House Early Learning Academy in Blythewood, South Carolina. The 20-month-old twins di*ed as a result of heat exhaustion after their father, who has not been identified, failed to drop them off at daycare and left them trapped inside his car.
Father Was “Under Pressure”
According to Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott, the father worked at a manufacturing plant and was under “intense pressure” prior to the accident. Lott stated:
“The father was under some intense pressure at work that really had his mind somewhere else that day,” Lott went on to say. “In his mind, he truly believed he had dropped off the two boys at daycare.” He had no doubt in his mind that he had done that.”
The man worked an entire shift before returning to the daycare to pick up the boys. Workers informed him that the twins were not present. He returned to his car and discovered the lifeless bodies of both boys in their car seats in the backseat.
He attempted CPR on the twins, but they were already de*ad.
“He didn’t intend to do it.” He didn’t mean to do it, God. “He’s going to have to live with that for the rest of his life,” Sheriff Lott said. He went on to say that the dad’s raw emotions that day were genuine, and that he was certain he had unintentionally left the kids in the car.
On that particular day, the heat index inside the car reached 120 degrees. The twins most likely di*ed shortly after their father left for work. The de*aths were ruled accidental, with hyperthermia listed as the cause of de*ath.
More Than 20 Child De*aths in Hot Cars in 2021
In 2021, more than 20 children di*ed from heat exhaustion after being left in a hot car. The majority of those de*aths are the result of carelessness or negligence on the part of the caregiver, who are usually parents.
A 5-year-old Springfield, Virginia girl di*ed in August 2021 after being left in a hot car for “several hours.” According to police, the girl and several other children were picked up by a parent. The other children exited the vehicle, but the 5-year-old did not. This matter is currently being investigated. That day, temperatures in Northern Virginia reached the upper 90s.
On September 9, a 1-year-old Texas infant d*ied after her mother abandoned her in the backseat of a car. The woman dropped off two older children at daycare but forgot to drop off the third. Later that evening, the infant was discovered in the car. First responders pronounced her de*ad.
Authorities have yet to announce whether or not this mother will face charges in her daughter’s de*ath.
