Grandfather Charged After Dropping Off Rental Car With Granddaughter Still In Back Seat 

A man from Florida has been charged with felony child neglect after forgetting his 1-year-old granddaughter in the back seat of a rental car when he went to return the vehicle, according to USA Today. 

62-year-old David Towner was watching over his granddaughter for the day. Reports say he returned the vehicle to Daytona Beach International Airport and was picked up by his daughter. 

The 1-year-old was in the vehicle for close to an hour before she was discovered by a Hertz employee, according to Volusia County officials. While they were headed to Towner’s home, his daughter asked for her child and the 62-year-old man informed her that she was at his house with his roommate, although, the staff member located the girl in the backseat of the rented vehicle. 

Officials arrived at the scene and discovered the girl with dried tears; however, she appeared to be in stable condition. Andrew Gant, the sheriff’s spokesman said,

“The child was scared and hot, but thankfully in good health when checked by paramedics.” 

Initially, airport staff and police couldn’t get in contact with the man; however, emergency dispatchers informed them that the child’s mother was headed to the airport to pick up the 1-year-old. The daughter told officials that her dad told her the child was at his home; yet, she later learned he left her in the back seat of the rented vehicle. The Department of Children and Families was informed about the incident but the toddler was released to her mother. 

The grandfather was taken into custody and let out on a $2,500 bail. 

#Clique, what are your thoughts?