Father Dies By Suicide Hours After Toddler Dies In Hot Car

A Virginia father died by suicide hours after his 18-month-old son died after being left in a hot car for several hours. The Chesterfield County Police Department said they received a call from the child's mother and relatives after the boy never arrived at daycare.

They also told the dispatcher that the boy's father was making suicidal statements.

When officers went to the man's home, they found his car with an empty car seat in the back. When they went inside the home, they found the body of the young boy. The officers then found the man's body in the woods behind the house with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Police Lt. Col. Christopher Hensley said that the investigation revealed that the man left his son in the car for several hours as the temperature rose into the 80s. After discovering his son's body, he drove home, brought the boy inside, and then went outside and shot himself.

"It's just a tragedy on so many levels," said Hensley. "Our hearts go out to the family and friends that are going to deal with this."