BROOKWOOD, Ala. (WDNews) — A Brookwood man has been charged with manslaughter after authorities said his 1-year-old child was found dead inside a vehicle while still strapped into a car seat.
According to the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff’s Office Violent Crimes Unit, emergency crews responded around 5 p.m. Wednesday to a home on Stone Ridge Court after family members reported the child had been found unresponsive inside the vehicle.
Investigators said the child had been in the sole care of the father throughout the day. Authorities identified the father as 30-year-old Logan Keith Chewning.
According to investigators, Chewning admitted to drinking alcohol at different times during the day and leaving the residence at one point to buy more alcohol. Authorities said Chewning told investigators he believed the child had been sleeping in a crib and must have accidentally been left inside the vehicle.
Capt. Jack Kennedy with the Violent Crimes Unit said the initial investigation showed the child had been left in the vehicle for an extended period of time while afternoon temperatures climbed into the mid-90s.
Following consultation with the Tuscaloosa County District Attorney’s Office, investigators charged Chewning with manslaughter. He was booked into the Tuscaloosa County Jail, where bond is expected to be set during an initial court appearance.
Authorities said the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences will determine the child’s official cause of death. The investigation remains ongoing.
