Texas father charged after baby's hot car death
MELISSA, Texas -- The father of a 6-month-old girl who died after she was left in a hot car for up to four hours Tuesday afternoon has been charged with manslaughter, reports CBS DFW.
The baby was found inside 33-year-old Michael Thedford's family van, according to police in Melissa, Texas. The substitute teacher had dropped off two children at daycare, but allegedly left the baby in the car, a source told CBS DFW.
Fabiola Contreras said she watched from her porch as paramedics and Collin County sheriff's deputies arrived.
"They were asking the mother a few questions and she looked like she was crying. She was devastated. So was he, he would hug her and cry as well," she said.
Capt. Jim Moody of the Collin County Sheriff's Department said deputies were called about 1:30 p.m. Tuesday to Thedford's home in Melissa, about 40 miles north of Dallas. They arrived to find the child removed from the car but unresponsive.
Witnesses said investigators appeared to make Thedford reenact what happened using a Mickey Mouse doll.
He was arrested soon after and booked on $20,000 bond. An attorney has not yet been listed in court records.