A 3-year-old boy was found dead in a van outside a child care center in Orlando, Florida after one of the employees allegedly forgot that the child was inside.
For nearly 12 hours on Monday of this week, Myles Hill was left in the vehicle. Around 8:30 p.m. he was found unresponsive after the Orlando police were notified of a possible child neglect situation at the Little Miracles Academy.
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“Myles would have turned 4 years old on Aug. 22,” Orlando Police Chief John Mina said at a news conference on Tuesday morning, ABC News reports. “This is an absolute tragedy which could have been prevented.”
Chief Mina did not explain the charges that the day care employee could be facing. However, they are reportedly being cooperative, according to The Miami Herald.
The preliminary investigation reveals that Myles was picked up on Monday morning by a day care worker. They drove from one Little Miracles Academy location to another facility.
The day care driver then returned to the initial day care center. After getting out of the van, the child care employee did not realize that Myles was still in the van.
Later that evening, Myles was supposed to be dropped off at his grandmother’s home. When he was not returned, Myles’ grandmother called the police. Law enforcement officials said a missing child investigation was then launched.
Barbara Livingston, Myles’ great aunt, spoke out about the tragic incident saying she was heartbroken and angry.
“If you leave your child with someone, that person has the responsibility of taking care of them,” Livingston, 71, said while talking with the Orlando Sentinel. “He had to lose his life because of someone’s neglect. It’s not right. It’s not right at all. If you have six kids get in the van, you make sure six kids get out of the van.”
Chief Mina says that the police believe Myles was in the hot van all day long since 9 a.m. Temperatures that day reached up to 93 degrees Fahrenheit.
At this time, the authorities are still awaiting the autopsy results. However, police are operating under the assumption that his death was heat-related.
