34‑year‑old Scott Allen Gardner was sentenced to 42 years in prison after leaving his 18‑month‑old son in a hot car for three hours while he received a haircut and visited a bar.
On June 6, 2025, Gardner left the child in his truck at Ormond Beach. The vehicle’s windows were down, no air conditioning was running, and only a small battery‑powered fan was turned on. Medical staff estimated the child’s body temperature reached 111 °F and that he had been dead for at least an hour before he arrived at the hospital.
He was arrested on June 19, held without bail, and pleaded no contest to second‑degree murder, aggravated child abuse, and neglect causing great bodily harm. The plea agreement resulted in a 42‑year prison term.
The judge described the conduct as shocking and horrific, noting that the child’s skin reddened, pulse quickened, breathing became difficult, and he suffered headache and dizziness. The judge emphasized that the defendant had alternatives, such as dropping the child at a police or fire station or calling the mother, but chose to leave him unattended.
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