Boy Dies Days Before 2nd Birthday After Foster Dad Allegedly Leaves Him in Car for 'Over 8 Hours' By Sean Neumann

A toddler was found dead in the backseat of his foster father’s car last week after the man realized he had left the child strapped in the car for more than eight hours while he went to work, police allege.

Hudley Owen Hamlett died on July 31, just two days before his second birthday, according to local WSET, WSLS, and The Miami Herald.

The toddler’s foster father, Brian Dalton, was arrested and charged with child abuse and neglect, as well as involuntary manslaughter, according to information provided by the Amherst County Sheriff’s Office.

The sheriff’s office alleged in a statement on social media that Hudley “was left unattended in a vehicle for over eight hours” before Dalton realized the child was still in the car, discovering him unresponsive in the backseat.

Hudley was transported to Lynchburg General Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead, according to WSET.

Citing police, the outlet reported that Dalton was supposed to drop Hudley off at daycare before driving to work, but never stopped at the daycare. Dalton then allegedly went to work for eight hours, got back in his car, and drove to the daycare center to pick up the toddler. Once there, Dalton was informed he had never dropped off Hudley, at which point he realized the child was still in the backseat of his car.

WSET reported that staff at the daycare attempted to perform life-saving measures on Hudley before first responders arrived at the scene and took the toddler to the hospital.

“It’s just a tragedy that you never, never expect to happen, never should happen, but it’s unfortunate that it did,” Amherst County Sheriff Jimmy Ayers told reporters, according to WSET. “As a man of faith, I would have to say that the only consolation that I can find in this is this little fella has faced many challenges in his short life. Now, he has the ability to grow and flourish without life’s challenges in his eternal home.”

Related Stories

What to Know About Hot Car Deaths and How to Avoid Them

Prevent Hot-Car Deaths: A Checklist for Parents

Sheriff Ayers told reporters that Dalton expressed remorse, according to WSET, and that there was no evidence that indicated the foster father’s allegedly actions were intentional.

“It’s very unfortunate that our society today lives so fast, and to think that we would live in a life that is so fast that you would forget, that you would leave a little fellow like that in the back seat, even if they are asleep… you just have to be mindful and always, that children have to be at the forefront of whatever, whether it’s our children or whether it’s children that we are in custody of, taking care of, babysitting, whatever it may be,” the sheriff said, according to the outlet.

WSET reported that Hudley’s biological mother, Jennifer Dalton, gathered with friends and family to hold a memorial for Hudley on Saturday — what would have been the child’s 2nd birthday.