Columbia police are investigating whether a 9-month-old baby boy was intentionally left in a hot car outside his home Sunday.
/ Adam Pinsker
COLUMBIA (WACH, AP) -- Richland County Coroner Gary Watts says an infant left unattended in a car outside a Columbia apartment complex Sunday died from exposure to the heat.
Jayden Davis, a 9-month-old child, died Sunday afternoon at Palmetto Richland Hospital, according to Watts. He said Monday that an autopsy shows the the child died from complications of "acute hyperthermia."
The National Weather Service reported a high temperature of 98 degrees shortly before 5 p.m. Sunday.
Authorities say they received a call Sunday afternoon leading them to the Charbonneau Apartments off of Greystone Boulevard in North Columbia. That is where police say the boy's relatives found him in the car. He was taken by ambulance to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Columbia Police Chief Randy Scott said Monday afternoon that investigators have determined the child's father left the infant inside the car. Scott said it appears the child was inside the vehicle for at least three hours.
No charges have been filed.
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