DELTONA, Fla. – The Volusia County Medical Examiner's Office on Monday identified the baby who was found dead in a vehicle parked at Deltona Middle School last week.
Six-month-old Trenton Cason-Collins was apparently inadvertently left in the back seat of an SUV all day on Friday by a teacher. Deputies said Trenton belonged to a relative of the 38-year-old Orange City woman and had been placed in her care approximately six weeks ago.
It's not yet been determined if the teacher will face charges.
"It appears to be a tragic accident, but we still have to look to see if there are criminal charges are there or not. We'll investigate it thoroughly and will try to decide what we see," said Sheriff Ben Johnson.
Johnson told News 6 that the teacher arrived at the school around 7 a.m. Friday, and the baby boy was found around 4 p.m. in the front parking lot of the school, which is on Enterprise Road, according to deputies.
Temperatures in Deltona hovered in the mid-80s on Friday.
The Sheriff's Office said it received a 911 call about the baby at 3:54 p.m. A school resource deputy rushed to the scene three minutes after the call came in, but the baby was already dead, deputies said.
Students return to school Tuesday after having Monday off for a teacher work day.
Johnson told News 6 his investigators are having a hard time with the case, given the child's age.
"I can tell you we have employees that are very shaken over this incident right now," Johnson said. "This is one of those days that you don't like being the sheriff."
"Our deepest sympathy goes out to the family and the Deltona Middle School community. This tragedy has broken the hearts of all of us in the school district. We will stand by the family with love and compassion," Volusia County Schools said in a statement.
Grief counselors are expected at Deltona Middle School on Monday as teachers return for the first time since the incident.