Landon Parrott, a 19-year-old Ohio dad, confessed to leaving his 14-month-old son, Kyler Parrott, to succumb to death in a hot car. The incident occurred on Thursday, September 1 in New Philadelphia.
As per New Philadelphia police, Landon initially claimed that he left Kyler in the car for a short while. However, surveillance footage revealed that Landon Parrott had left the infant in the car at 8:30 am, only returning approximately 5 hours later at 1:50 pm.
Landon Parrott has been charged with murder, involuntary manslaughter and endangering children.
Landon Parrott's son was left in the car with an interior temperature of 130 degrees
New Philadelphia Police stated that Landon initially claimed it was an accidental death. But intial investigation into the infant's death arose suspicions surrounding his death.
New Philadelphia Police Detective Captain Ty Norris told WJW that at around 2 pm on Thursday, Cleveland Clinic Union Hospital notified them that a 14-month-old boy was brought into the emergency room by his father and was unresponsive.
Parrott confessed to deliberately leaving the infant in the car after investigators confronted him with surveillance video that showed him leaving the infant in the car. Calling the infant's death heartbreaking, Det. Capt. Norris added,
“We estimate that would’ve made the interior of the car about 130 degrees and this child was in there strapped into a car seat with no fluids, no air conditioning, nothing. Heartbreaking. It’s heartbreaking to see this unfold before your eyes.”
Norris also made it clear that the infant's mother is not a suspect in the case. He said:
“This is about this poor child and this poor mother who was just trying to work and pay bills and finding justice for both of them.”
New Philadelphia Police Chief Michael Goodwin announced Landon's arrest in a statement on Facebook. He also stated that during Landon's interview, it became clear that he intentionally left his son to avoid disturbance in the house.
“It appears that this was not a matter of forgetting the child but was a deliberate act so as the child would not be a disturbance while in the house.”
The infant's grandparents, Trevor and Casey Neering, responded to the tragic death in a Facebook post. The post read:
“Justice will be served, but the purpose of this is to bring everyone’s attention to the existence of Kyler Phillip Allen Parrott.”
The post continued:
“Kyler was an unexpected surprise who immediately changed our world in the best way, from the very beginning.”
Landon Parrott is currently being held at Tuscarawas County Jail on a $250,000 bond.