In a disturbing case that highlights the urgent need for parental responsibility, a 33-year-old man faces charges after he left his son to die in a hot car.
Read the tweet below this post.
The shocking case has outraged local law enforcement, who call it an intentional act of neglect rather than a tragic accident that has become all too common in America.
The 33-year-old father was arrested after his toddler son Sebastian died in Volusia County, Florida.
According to authorities, Scott Gardner left the child in the backseat of his truck for over three hours while he got a haircut and then spent time drinking at Hanky Panky’s Lounge.
The temperature inside the vehicle reached a deadly 111 degrees, with only a small battery-powered fan providing minimal relief.
Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood harshly criticized the act, describing the father’s actions:
“This father is a human piece of garbage, and he’s a lying sack of s—. He’s exactly where he belongs — behind bars. I don’t think there’s a penalty on Earth that would ever fit for the crime committed here.”
Gardner allegedly left the windows down but did not use the vehicle’s air conditioning. When he finally checked on his son and found him unresponsive, he called 911.
Still, medical experts determined the child had already been dead for one to two hours.
Sebastian’s body temperature was measured at over 107 degrees when he arrived at the hospital.
The case becomes even more disturbing with reports that after his son was pronounced dead at the hospital, Gardner returned to the same bar with his mother and continued drinking until nearly midnight.
🚨 SICKENING: Florida dad Scott Gardner left his baby in a hot car for 3 HOURS while he got a haircut & drank at a bar.
The child died — and Gardner went back to the bar the same night.
Sheriff Chitwood: “There’s no penalty on this earth that fits this crime.”
PURE EVIL.… pic.twitter.com/bJwmbsQMhP
— SuzanJ (@shadowJ47) June 20, 2025
Witnesses noted that neither Gardner nor his mother appeared as distraught as would be expected after losing a child under such circumstances.
In addition, investigators said Gardner initially provided false information about the timeline of events, but eventually confessed to leaving his son in the vehicle.
Body camera footage shows Gardner pleading for help when officers arrived, crying out, “My son’s not breathing. A year and a half. Oh my god. He just had his eyes open. Oh my god, Sebastian.”
What makes this case particularly heartbreaking is how preventable it was.
Unlike cases where parents accidentally forget children in vehicles, authorities believe Gardner knowingly left his son in dangerous conditions while he prioritized drinking.
When first responders arrived, Sebastian’s body was already in rigor mortis.
The incident underscores the ongoing national crisis of hot car deaths. An average of 37 children die annually from heatstroke in vehicles across America.
While many cases involve parents accidentally forgetting children, Sheriff Chitwood emphasized this case was different, describing it as one that “shocks the conscience.”
Gardner now faces charges of aggravated manslaughter of a child and child neglect causing great bodily harm.
The investigation, conducted jointly by the Volusia Sheriff’s Office and the Ormond Beach Police Department, remains ongoing, and additional details are expected as the case progresses.
