Florida Father Arrested After Infant Son Dies in Sweltering Truck While He Got Haircut, Drank at Bar
ORMOND BEACH, Fla. — June 19, 2025 — A Florida father is behind bars after a horrifying and preventable tragedy claimed the life of his infant son, who was left in a hot vehicle for more than three hours while the father got a haircut and drank at a bar.
Scott Gardner, 33, has been arrested and charged in connection with the death of his young child, Sebastian, whose lifeless body was discovered in the backseat of a sweltering pickup truck earlier this week. Police say Sebastian, who was just a baby, died alone in the extreme Florida heat while his father neglected his basic duty of care.
According to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, Gardner left his son inside a parked truck outside a local bar in Ormond Beach while he visited a nearby barber for a haircut. After the haircut, investigators say Gardner went into a lounge for drinks—never once returning to check on his child. The heat index outside that day was dangerously high, with temperatures inside the vehicle quickly rising to fatal levels.
Authorities were called to the scene after someone spotted the unresponsive child. Emergency responders arrived to find baby Sebastian in critical condition with a body temperature of 111 degrees Fahrenheit. Despite every life-saving effort by paramedics, the child could not be revived.
“This was a senseless and heartbreaking death—one that was absolutely preventable,” said a spokesperson with the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office. “No child should ever be left alone in a vehicle, especially not in the Florida heat.”
Adding further outrage to the tragedy, detectives say Gardner lied repeatedly throughout the investigation. Initially, he provided conflicting statements about his whereabouts and the timeline of events. However, surveillance footage and witness testimony reportedly contradicted his claims, ultimately leading to his arrest.
Gardner now faces two serious felony charges:
1.Aggravated Manslaughter of a Child
2.Child Neglect Causing Serious Harm
He was taken into custody at his mother’s home in Ormond Beach without incident and is being held at the Volusia County Jail.
The death of Sebastian has sent shockwaves through the community, prompting renewed calls for public awareness around the dangers of hot car deaths—a persistent and devastating issue in many parts of the country, particularly during summer months.
Child safety advocates emphasize that even a few minutes in a parked car can prove deadly for children, whose bodies overheat up to five times faster than adults. In just 10 minutes, the temperature inside a vehicle can rise by 20 degrees or more, creating a fatal environment even on a relatively mild day.
“This is not just a tragedy; it’s a crisis of responsibility,” said one local child safety advocate. “It takes a moment to make a safe choice, and the consequences of not doing so can last a lifetime—or end a life far too soon.”
Neighbors and community members have begun leaving flowers and stuffed animals near the scene in memory of Sebastian. Many expressed anger, disbelief, and sorrow at how easily this death could have been avoided.
“This little boy never had a chance,” said one neighbor. “His father chose a haircut and drinks over his own child’s life. That’s unforgivable.”
As Gardner awaits his first court appearance, Sebastian’s death serves as a painful reminder of the responsibilities every parent holds—and the irreversible devastation that can come when those responsibilities are ignored.
Law enforcement urges anyone who sees a child alone in a vehicle to call 911 immediately. “One phone call can save a life,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement. “We all have a role to play in preventing tragedies like this.”