- A Florida dad has been sentenced to 42 years in prison after his toddler son died after he was left in a hot truck
- On June 6, 2025, Scott Gardner went to get a haircut and drank at a bar while 18-month-old Sebastian was in the backseat of his vehicle
- Gardner, 34, pleaded no contest to second-degree murder, among other charges, on Thursday, July 23
A father whose toddler son died after he left him in a hot truck for three hours has been sentenced to more than four decades in prison.
On June 6, 2025, Scott Gardner, now 34, left his son Sebastian, 18 months, in the truck while he got a haircut and drank at a bar in Ormond Beach, Fla., per a release from the Office of the State Attorney 7th Judicial Circuit.
While Scott visited Classic Cuts and Hanky Panky’s Lounge, Sebastian was in the backseat of the truck with the windows down, no air conditioning and only a small, battery-powered fan pointed at him, Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood said in a news briefing at the time.
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“Medical personnel estimated the child’s body temperature had reached 111 degrees [Fahrenheit] and he had been dead for at least an hour by the time he arrived at the hospital,” the State Attorney’s release stated.
Gardner was arrested on June 19, almost two weeks after his son’s death, according to a release shared by the Volusia Sheriff’s Office.
During an investigation by the Volusia Sheriff’s Office and the Ormond Beach Police Department, he reportedly lied to detectives about what happened, per the State Attorney.
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At a hearing on Thursday, July 23, Gardner pleaded no contest to second-degree murder, aggravated child abuse and neglect of a child causing great bodily harm.
He was sentenced to 42 years in prison.
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Lorena Dague, Sebastian’s mom, remembered her son’s beautiful smile, blue eyes and “silly little laugh that could fill a room” in a victim impact statement she gave during the sentencing, per FOX 35 Orlando.
“The short 18 months I had with Sebastian will never be enough, but I cherish every single minute we shared together,” she continued, telling Gardner that she felt a lot of anger towards him.
“You took away a sweet and innocent life, and you shattered a family,” she told him, per FOX 35 Orlando. “I hope you truly understand the magnitude of what you stole from this world.”
However, she said she ultimately forgave him, “For my own heart and for my boys.”
“There is no cause for celebration in resolving this case,” said State Attorney R.J. Larizza in the release. “An 18-month-old child suffered greatly and died while in the custody and care of his father.”
“The father chose to drink and get a haircut instead of loving and protecting his son. A totally vulnerable and defenseless child died because of the selfish vanity of his dad,” he added.
