Northampton County District Attorney Stephen Baratta said the SUV was parked in an unshaded lot as temperatures climbed into the 90s that day, and had a rear view mirror. "When he closed that door, she was condemned to death in that hot sun," Baratta said during a Thursday news conference.
A Pennsylvania father has been charged with third-degree murder after leaving his 14-month-old daughter inside a hot SUV for hours while he worked, with investigators saying the active ingredient in marijuana was found in his blood following the child's death.
Daniel Moist, 38, of Northampton County, is charged with third-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter, endangering the welfare of a child, recklessly endangering another person, and leaving a child unattended in a vehicle. According to prosecutors, Moist dropped off his 7-year-old daughter at a sports camp around 9 a.m. on June 11 before he was scheduled to take his 14-month-old daughter to daycare, part of his normal routine.
Instead, investigators allege Moist stopped at a gas station before driving to work, arriving shortly before 10 a.m. Prosecutors say he remained inside his office building until about 2:30 p.m., when he briefly returned to his vehicle to relax before going back inside. Northampton County District Attorney Stephen Baratta said the SUV was parked in an unshaded lot as temperatures climbed into the 90s that day, and had a rear view mirror. "When he closed that door, she was condemned to death in that hot sun," Baratta said during a Thursday news conference.
The child's mother reportedly called Moist shortly after 4 p.m. after arriving at daycare and discovering their daughter had never been dropped off. Moist returned to his Ford Explorer, found the toddler unresponsive in her rear-facing car seat, and began driving toward a hospital before a 911 dispatcher instructed him to pull over and wait for emergency responders. According to 6ABC, the girl was pronounced dead at the scene. Police also recovered a vaping device at the scene, and a subsequent blood test allegedly detected the active ingredient in marijuana in Moist's bloodstream. Prosecutors have not alleged that marijuana impairment directly caused the child's death.
Moist was released after posting $500,000 bail and is scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing on July 15.
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