CHESWOLDE, Md. — The father of a one-year-old found dead in a car in mid-July turned himself in at police headquarters on Monday.
Yaakov Reichman, 32, has been charged with involuntary manslaughter and neglect of a minor in connection with the death of his son, David Reichman.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled the cause of death was hyperthermia due to environmental exposure, meaning the child died from extreme heat.
Baltimore father charged a month after 1-year-old dies from heat exposure in vehicle
According to court documents, the father had dropped off his wife at work and his two older kids at daycare on Thursday, July 16.
Charging documents allege Reichman forgot to drop off his youngest child at daycare and instead returned to his synagogue for religious study.
The father stayed at the synagogue for five hours, according to the court documents, and then went to pick up his wife.
"When he picked up his wife," the charging documents state, "Mrs. Reichman walked over to the car and made the startling observation that Minor Victim DR was still in his car seat and unresponsive."
Police investigators estimated that the temperature in the car reached around 150 degrees, based on the outside temperature and that the car was in direct sunlight.
“Especially with a story like this," said Dr. Cheyenne Falat, associate director of the adult emergency department at the University of Maryland Medical Center, "the reason why I find it so particularly heartbreaking is that these are such preventable deaths with increased public awareness and education.”
“When we talk about heat stroke deaths in particular," Falat added, "the extremes of age, both very young and elderly individuals, are some of the most susceptible populations.”
No one thinks it will happen to them, Falat said, which is why it is important to stay vigilant. Obvious as they may seem, Falat urges parents to develop a routine for checking the back seat, keep keys out of children's reach and teach them that cars are not play areas.
“Just because summer might be ending and we might be entering fall, it's, it's not the time to let our guard down,” Falat concluded.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled the manner of death accidental, though investigators alleged Reichman's actions met the legal standard for criminal charges.
If convicted on both charges, Yaakov Reichman could face a maximum combined sentence of 15 years in prison.
