0
0
A five-month-old boy has died after his father allegedly forgot he was in the car and left him in extreme heat outside a local business in Hastings, Nebraska.
The infant, whose name has not been publicly released, was found unresponsive inside a vehicle parked at Pacha Soap Co. around 5 p.m. on Monday, July 28.
Officers from the Hastings Police Department and emergency responders attempted to resuscitate the child and transported him to Mary Lanning Healthcare, located about five miles away. He was pronounced dead at the hospital.
An initial investigation revealed the child died from extreme heat exposure. Temperatures in Hastings reached the upper 90s Fahrenheit that day, and much of the state was under a heat advisory, according to the National Weather Service.
The boy’s father, 36-year-old Jeremy Hansen, was arrested later that evening. He has been charged with negligent child abuse resulting in death.
“This is a heartbreaking incident, and our hearts go out to the family, friends, first responders, and all those affected by this unimaginable loss,” the Hastings Police Department said in a statement. “We extend our deepest condolences and are committed to supporting those impacted during this difficult time.”
Hansen appeared distraught in his mugshot, wearing glasses and a white T-shirt. He is scheduled to appear in Adams County Court on the morning of Friday, August 1.
Despite the charges, many members of the community have rallied around Hansen and his family. A fundraiser has garnered more than $33,000 in donations.
“I’m so deeply saddened and disappointed to see the judgment that has been cast so easily,” a former schoolmate wrote on social media. “Imagine your greatest fear, your largest human moment… as a parent, being put on display for everyone to judge, while simultaneously trying to even comprehend the events that led to your greatest loss.
“He doesn’t deserve this. His family doesn’t deserve this. No one deserves this. Like it’s been said before… how about we lift them up in prayer instead of tearing them down.”
The tragedy occurred just six days after a separate hot car death in Alabama, where a three-year-old boy died after being left inside a vehicle for more than five hours. In that case, a daycare driver allegedly went shopping for tobacco and food, leaving the child in the car parked in a residential driveway.
