Dad's chilling police call after leaving toddler son to die in boiling 43C car

An 18-month-old boy died after being left in a hot vehicle for several hours while his father allegedly spent time getting a haircut and drinking at a nearby bar in Ormond Beach, Florida.

Scott Gardner was arrested on June 19and charged with aggravated manslaughter of a child and child neglect causing great bodily harm, over the tragic incident which occurred on June 6.

According to a joint investigation by the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office and the Ormond Beach Police Department, Gardner, 33, left his toddler son, Sebastian Gardner, alone in the backseat of a pickup truck around 11:30 a.m.

The truck’s windows were down, and the only source of air circulation was a small battery-powered fan aimed at the child. Investigators said there was no air conditioning running during the time the child was inside the vehicle.

READ MORE: Moment dad of girl, 2, left to die in scorching hot 43C car breaks down in tears in police footage

After parking the truck, Gardner entered Classic Cuts for a haircut and later walked to Hanky Panky’s Lounge, a nearby bar, where he remained for several hours. Surveillance footage and witness statements indicate he was at the bar from approximately noon until at least 2 p.m., during which time he consumed multiple alcoholic drinks.

During his time at the bar, an unrelated incident outside involving a damaged vehicle prompted Gardner to step outside briefly. Authorities say he examined the damage to a bartender’s car but did not check on his son in the truck before returning inside for more drinks.

It wasn’t until around 2:40 p.m. that Gardner left the bar and drove a short distance home. Upon arriving, he called 911and reported that his son was not breathing. In a recording of the emergency call, Gardner can be heard frantically saying, “My son’s not breathing. A year and a half. Oh my god. He just had his eyes open.”

Emergency responders from the Ormond Beach Police Department arrived quickly, but they found Sebastian unresponsive and already in rigor mortis, indicating he had died at least one to two hours earlier, according to Sheriff Mike Chitwood. The child was transported to a hospital, where he was officially pronounced dead at 3:30 p.m.

Medical personnel reported that Sebastian’s body temperature exceeded 41°C upon arrival, suggesting the temperature inside the vehicle had reached approximately 43°C. Investigators later concluded that the child had been left alone in the hot vehicle for over three hours.

Following Sebastian’s death, Gardner gave inconsistent and false accounts to investigators before eventually confessing. Authorities also stated that after reporting his son’s death, Gardner returned to Hanky Panky’s Lounge with his mother and remained there until nearly midnight. Witnesses at the bar told investigators that Gardner and his mother did not appear visibly distraught, which they described as concerning given the circumstances.

Investigators believe Gardner’s mother may not have been aware of her grandson’s death at the time.

Though police said Scott ultimately confessed, the confession came after he “gave multiple false accounts of what occurred” the day of his son’s death, per the sheriff’s office.

Sheriff Chitwood, in an emotional press briefing, referred to Gardner as a “lying sack of s***” and said, “There’s no logical reason why this little guy is dead. This wasn’t a tragic mistake - this was intentional.

"We’ve seen cases where parents genuinely forget, and they are devastated. But this… this was different,” he said. “That’s why he’s facing the charges he is.”

The investigation remains ongoing as authorities continue to review surveillance footage, interview witnesses, and gather evidence related to the events of that day.