A father who allegedly left his 6-month-old daughter in
a hot car, causing her death, tried to revive the baby by putting her in the
refrigerator before calling 911, according to an arrest warrant
released Wednesday.
According to the warrant issued for Michael Thedford, the
Melissa father told investigators that he took his 5-year-old and 3-year-old
children to daycare at about 9 a.m. Tuesday. He stated the youngest child named
Fern, according to her grandfather wasn't going to daycare that day because she
had a virus and was running a fever.
When he went home, Thedford said he forgot the
baby was in the car and went inside the house to take a nap.
The warrant states that when he woke up around 1 p.m.,
roughly four hours later, he said he discovered the baby was in the car and ran
outside. He found her unresponsive and took her into the house.
Thedford told police he placed his daughter in the
refrigerator "for an undetermined length of time prior to calling
911."
The warrant goes on to say Thedford told officers he called
his wife and 911 while trying to perform CPR on the child. When deputies
arrived, they found the baby dead in the kitchen.
While being interviewed by the Collin County Sheriff's
Department, Thedford told deputies he's an unemployed high school teacher. He
said his wife of 12 years is a veterinarian in Plano, and she was at work
during the incident.
Stan Thedford calls his son Michael a fantastic, doting dad.
He declined to comment on why his son may have forgotten Fern was in the
car.
“Every year at this time it happens to people from all walks
of life,” he said of the tragedy. “It’s something we should all be more aware
of.”
Thedford taught introduction to physics and chemistry
at Celina High School last year, according to Celina Independent School
District officials.
Thedford was arrested Tuesday on a charge of manslaughter.
He was released after posting a $20,000 bond.
Temperatures in Collin County reached 91 degrees by noon the
day the child died.
Source: WTSP.com
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