Latest news with #VolusiaCountySheriff
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Daily Mail
Jaw-dropping callousness of father who went drinking AFTER his son baked to death in hot car
An 18-month-old boy died after being left inside a parked truck in the Florida heat while his father drank beer and took shots at a bar, but in an act of callousness, after the toddler's death, the man returned to the same bar for another round of drinks. Authorities say Scott Allen Gardner, 33, of South Daytona, displayed an appalling level of indifference and deception after abandoning his son, Sebastian, for more than three hours in sweltering heat. By the time Gardner finally called 911, the child's body temperature had soared to a staggering 111F and it was too late. 'This father is a human piece of garbage, and he's a lying sack of s***,' Volusia County Sheriff Michael Chitwood said during a searing press conference. 'He's actually where he belongs to be, behind bars. There's no reason for this little boy to be dead.' Gardner is being held without bond at the Volusia County jail on charges of aggravated manslaughter of a child and child neglect causing great bodily harm. The deadly sequence began on the morning of June 6. Gardner arrived at Classic Cuts, a barbershop in Ormond Beach, around 11:30am leaving his 18-month-old strapped inside a car seat inside his truck. The temperature outside hovered around 90 degrees. The windows were cracked open and a small fan was running in a feeble and ultimately futile attempt to offset the Florida heat and humidity After his haircut, Gardner crossed the street to Hanky Panky's Lounge, where he is alleged to have drank for nearly three hours. He left the bar at 2:40pm to drive to his mother's home where he finally called 911. Investigators believe Sebastian had already been dead for two hours and when Ormond Beach police arrived, they found Sebastian unresponsive. Emergency crews rushed him to the hospital, but it was too late. Doctors reported the toddler's internal body temperature to have exceeded 107 degrees. According to Sheriff Chitwood, Gardner later picked up his mother who was reportedly unaware of Sebastian's death and went back to Hanky Panky's Lounge for more drinks. 'I don't think there's a penalty on this Earth that could ever fit for the crime that was committed here,' Chitwood fumed. 'It absolutely shocks the conscience.' Gardner's behavior enraged law enforcement. 'There's no reason this little boy should be dead. None. Zero. This was not an accident. This was gross negligence, deception, and absolute callousness. He went back to the bar,' Sheriff Chitwood said, not holding back his disgust. 'During the investigation, Gardner gave multiple false accounts of what occurred that day,' the Volusia Sheriff's Office stated. A neighbor told a local news outlet that Gardner had lied to them claiming his son 'died of a fever.' Authorities arrested Gardner at his mother's residence, in what appeared to be a screened-in outdoor area. Bodycam footage showed the same officer who tried in vain to save Sebastian placing Gardner in handcuffs. 'Honey, I love you,' Gardner's mother, Jody Thereault, could be heard saying during the arrest. 'Love you guys,' Gardner replies. 'Say goodbye, because you're not going to come back here again,' another voice can be heard saying. A GoFundMe page, created before Gardner's arrest, raised $2,828 for funeral expenses. It described Sebastian as a 'bright light' who would 'forever remain in the hearts of all who knew and loved him.' 'No parent should ever have to experience the pain of losing a child,' the now-closed fundraiser reads. 'I hope they can find some comfort in the love and support surrounding them.' Sebastian's death marks the seventh hot-car child fatality in the United States in 2025. Last year, nearly 40 children died in similar circumstances - most under the age of 3, often left unknowingly by a caregiver. Safety experts urge parents to leave a diaper bag or toy in the front seat as a visual reminder, and to open the back door every time they exit the vehicle, even if they believe the child isn't inside. Kids and Car Safety, a nonprofit tracking such tragedies warns: 'It only takes minutes. A car can heat up 20 degrees in 10 minutes. And a child's body overheats three to five times faster than an adult's.' Sebastian's short life was marked by innocence. His family remembered him as a 'bright light' - a child whose memory, they said, will 'outlast even this unfathomable loss.'
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Yahoo
Toddler Dies After ‘Piece of Garbage' Dad Allegedly Left Him in ‘Hot Truck' to Drink and Get a Haircut, Sheriff Says
Sebastian Gardner, an 18-month-old boy, died after his dad Scott Gardner allegedly left him in a 'hot truck' for over three hours to drink and get a haircut on June 6, authorities claim Sebastian was left alone in the backseat with just a small fan as the vehicle's temperature hit 111 degrees that day in Ormond Beach, Fla., medical personnel estimated 'This father is a human piece of garbage, and he's a lying sack of s---,' Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood said in a briefingA toddler's life was cut short after his dad allegedly left him in a vehicle in the Florida heat for hours while he got a haircut and drank at a bar. On Thursday, June 19, the Volusia County Sheriff's Office (VCSO) and the Ormond Beach Police Department (OBPD) arrested the father, Scott Gardner, on charges of aggravated manslaughter of a child and child neglect causing great bodily harm, authorities said in a news release. The arrest came nearly two weeks after the death of his son, 18-month-old Sebastian Gardner. The toddler spent over three hours in the backseat of a 'hot truck' on June 6 while his dad, 33, spent time in Classic Cuts and Hanky Panky's Lounge, a barber shop and cocktail lounge located near each other in Ormond Beach, according to the sheriff's office. The Florida dad allegedly left Sebastian in the backseat of the truck with the windows down, no air conditioning and a small, battery-powered fan pointed at the toddler, Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood said during an emotional news briefing on Friday, June 20. Scott allegedly left Sebastian in the vehicle around 11:30 a.m. as he went to get his haircut, according to a timeline investigators provided. He then finished his haircut and headed to Hanky Panky's around noon, where he stayed and drank until at least 2 p.m., police said. During his time in the bar, a customer 'backed into a bartender's car,' and Scott came outside to investigate the damage to the vehicle, investigators said. He did not check on Sebastian before heading back into the bar to order more drinks, per Chitwood. At around 2:40 p.m., Gardner left Hanky Panky's, drove a 'short distance' home, and then proceeded to call 911 to report that Sebastian was not breathing, Chitwood said. 'My son's not breathing. A year and a half. Oh my god. He just had his eyes open. Oh my god, Sebastian,' the father says in a recording of the 911 call. However, investigators said the toddler was dead one to two hours before his dad contacted authorities. Following the call, an officer with the OBPD responded to the scene, but could not perform CPR, as the toddler's body had already gone into rigor mortis, according to Chitwood. Unresponsive, the 18-month-old was then taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 3:30 p.m. The toddler's temperature was over 107 degrees when he arrived at hospital, leading medical personnel to estimate that the temperature in the vehicle peaked at 111 degrees, Chitwood said. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. After Sebastian was pronounced dead and the investigation into the June 6 incident was underway — with Scott's account conflicting with assessment of hospital staff — the toddler's father headed back to Hanky Panky's for drinks, according to the sheriff. Scott, along with his mom, stayed at the bar until 'almost midnight,' he said. Witnesses at the bar said the pair 'didn't seem as distraught as you would expect someone to be for the child having just passed,' one investigator said in the news briefing, adding that this 'is consistent with the interactions that we had with [Scott] at the hospital.' Investigators also said in the June 20 news briefing that they do not believe Scott's mother was made aware of her grandson's death at that point. Though police said Scott ultimately confessed, the confession came after he 'gave multiple false accounts of what occurred' the day of his son's death, per the sheriff's office. 'This father is a human piece of garbage,' Chitwood said during the news briefing. "And he's a lying sack of s---.' "There's no logical reason why this little guy is dead,' Chitwood continued of the toddler, later adding that the situation "absolutely shocks the conscience." "We've seen it, people forget their kids in the back seat, but this was completely different,' the sheriff said. 'This was intentional. That's what the charges are for.' Read the original article on People
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Yahoo
Teen injured in Deltona parking lot shooting, Volusia deputies investigating
The Brief A 19-year-old man was shot near the mouth Thursday evening in a Deltona parking lot and taken to the hospital as a trauma alert. Volusia County detectives are investigating the shooting and pursuing leads, but no suspects have been identified. ORLANDO, Fla. - Volusia County Sheriff's Office detectives are investigating a shooting that left a 19-year-old man injured Thursday evening in Deltona. Deputies responded to the scene around 6:46 p.m. in the parking lot of 2820 Howland Blvd., where they found the victim with a gunshot wound near his mouth. Authorities said he was alert and talking at the scene before being transported to HCA Florida Lake Monroe Hospital as a trauma alert. What we don't know Volusia County Detectives are following active leads in the case. No suspects or further details were immediately released. An update will be provided as the investigation develops. STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 35 ORLANDO: Download the FOX Local app for breaking news alerts, the latest news headlines Download the FOX 35 Storm Team Weather app for weather alerts & radar Sign up for FOX 35's daily newsletter for the latest morning headlines FOX Local: Stream FOX 35 newscasts, FOX 35 News+, Central Florida Eats on your smart TV The Source The information in this article comes from the Volusia County Sheriff's Office and the Sanford Police Department.
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Florida mom accused of covering up teen son's role in Deltona stabbing
The Brief School fight escalates into stabbing near Heritage Middle School. Video and phone evidence revealed false alibi, deputies say. Teen turned in by grandmother after mother's arrest. DELTONA, Fla. - A 15-year-old boy and his mother have been arrested in connection with a stabbing that took place just south of Heritage Middle School in Deltona. What we know According to the Volusia County Sheriff's Office, a 15-year-old boy was allegedly involved in a school-related altercation that escalated into violence. Deputies say the mother, Kayla Cobb, 33, tried to shield her son from accountability by giving a false alibi — a move that ultimately led to her arrest for obstructing a criminal investigation. What we don't know Authorities have not released the identities of the teenager or his mother. It remains unclear what exactly led to the fight or whether the stabbing was premeditated. The specifics of the video evidence and how the cell phone factored into the discrepancies in their alibi have not been fully detailed publicly. Investigators also have not disclosed whether the teen will face charges as a juvenile or adult. The backstory The stabbing incident reportedly stemmed from a dispute at school. The teen's mother was arrested first, allegedly for trying to provide a cover story to investigators. Video footage reviewed by deputies contradicted her version of events. The teen was later turned in by his grandmother after law enforcement began looking for him. What they're saying The sheriff's office emphasized the role of video and cell phone data in breaking down a false alibi. Investigators said they noticed discrepancies between the story told by the teen and his mother and what was visible in the footage. "His cellphone gave him up," said Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood. "So he's got a warrant out for aggravated battery. Mom's being arrested as well. She's going to be my nominee for 'Mother of the Year' Your son's out there stabbing people, and you're creating an alibi to have him not be accountable. Well now, we're going to hold you accountable." The department also credited the grandmother for cooperating with the arrest. STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 35 ORLANDO: Download the FOX Local app for breaking news alerts, the latest news headlines Download the FOX 35 Storm Team Weather app for weather alerts & radar Sign up for FOX 35's daily newsletter for the latest morning headlines FOX Local:Stream FOX 35 newscasts, FOX 35 News+, Central Florida Eats on your smart TV The Source This story was written based on information shared by the Volusia County Sheriff's Office.
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Off-duty Florida deputy caught riding motorcycle with fake ‘CHASEM3' tag: officials
DELTONA, Fla. (WFLA) — A Volusia County Sheriff's deputy has resigned in lieu of termination after she was caught riding a motorcycle with a fake tag that read, 'CHASEM3.' Former Deputy Erica Muzzy was involved in a series of incidents Saturday night in Deltona and is also being investigated for an apparent social media account where she showed herself doing 'reckless stunt riding on public roads,' the sheriff's office said. Secret recording leads to child trafficking victim's rescue after sister calls 911: HCSO Deputies first encountered Muzzy around 8:51 p.m. Saturday night as she was with a group of other motorcyclists at a Wawa on Howland Boulevard. Officials said they recognized one of those riders as a motorcyclist who had fled from a traffic stop earlier that evening. The suspect called out to Muzzy as he was being detained, and according to authorities, she became 'argumentative' with the deputy conducting the investigation. The fleeing motorcyclist was ultimately arrested and taken to jail, deputies said. Muzzy then left the area on her motorcycle. Only about two hours later, a deputy pulled over a motorcycle on I-4 near for having a tag that was flipped up and not visible. Authorities said the rider was Muzzy. When flipped down, the tag read, 'CHASEM3.' Muzzy was charged with possession of a counterfeit license plate and taken to the Branch Jail with a $2,500 bond. She had been a deputy with the Volusia County Sheriff's Office since 2021. The sheriff's office said its internal investigation into her conduct online is ongoing. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
