An adorable toddler died two days before his second birthday after he was left in a hot car by his foster father for over eight hours, according to police.
Hudley Owen Hamlett was found unresponsive on Thursday after his legal guardian, Brian Dalton, left him in a hot car while he went to work in Virginia, officials said.
The tragedy was uncovered when Dalton arrived at the Chestnut Academy day care at about 3.30pm to pick Hudley up but was informed the toddler had not been dropped off that day.
That’s when Hudley was discovered strapped in the back of the vehicle Dalton had driven to work that morning.
Dalton had left the boy in his car as he worked an eight-hour shift and did not realize it until he went to the daycare in the afternoon, according to officials.
Staff at the daycare and first responders attempted life-saving measures but Hudley was pronounced dead at a hospital, as reported by ABC 13.
Temperatures in Amherst County, about a 120-mile drive from Richmond, reached 88 degrees on Thursday afternoon.
Dalton was taken into custody at the scene and was charged with abuse and neglect of children and involuntary manslaughter.
‘It’s just a tragedy that you never, never expect to happen, never should happen, but it’s unfortunate that it did,’ said Amherst County Sheriff L.J. Ayers.
‘As a man of faith, I would have to say that the only consolation that I can find in this is this little fella has faced many challenges in his short life. Now, he has the ability to grow and flourish without life’s challenges in his eternal home.’
The sheriff said Dalton has been cooperating with officials and expressed remorse over the tragedy. He added that there is nothing that points to an intentional act.
The Virginia community gathered for a vigil to honor Hudley on Saturday, which would have been his second birthday.
Hudley’s biological mother Jennifer Dalton told local news outlets the loss was devastating.
They said they are ‘taking it one day at a time’ and know the toddler is watching over them.
It’s not clear why Hudley was in foster care.
It comes less than a month after a 5-year-old Nebraska boy in foster care died after being left for several hours inside a hot SUV.
The boy’s foster mother, 40-year-old Juanita Piñon of Omaha, was arrested and charged with child abuse by neglect resulting in death.
The temperature in Omaha peaked at 86 degrees about an hour before the child was found.