Man accused of leaving little boy in hot car

Xavier Seymore, 26, arrested on child neglect charge

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Police on Monday night arrested a man accused of leaving a young child in a hot car.

Xavier Seymore, 26, is charged with child neglect.

According to an arrest report, the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office was alerted to a child left in a car at an apartment complex on Alderman Road.

Seymore was seen changing the little boy's diaper and then going into an apartment, police said.

The Sheriff's Office told News4Jax that the child was showing obvious signs of heat stress. The arrest report stated the boy was left in a locked car with the windows up and the engine off for about 30 minutes and was soaked in sweat and hot to the touch.

It was around 8 p.m. Monday night, but the report noted the temperature was 89 degrees. The Weather Authority said Monday afternoon hit 100 degrees.

The Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department took the child to Wolfson Children's Hospital.

Seymore was booked into the Duval County jail Monday evening, but was released the next night on $10,000 bond, according to online jail records.

On Thursday, News4Jax stopped by Seymore’s previous home address, which was listed in the report, and a woman holding a baby opened the door, saying Seymore did not live there and she had no comment. News4Jax was able to get in touch with Seymore, who said he did not wish to make a comment at this time.

His arrest comes less than one week after the co-owner of a Westside day care center was arrested May 22 on a charge of child neglect in connection with the death of a 4-month-old girl. Police said the baby died after she was left in a day care van parked in the sun for 4½ hours. 

As temperatures in the area continue to soar, officials remind people to continue to look before locking their cars. According to the Department of Children and Families, the temperature inside a car can rise 20 degrees in 10 minutes even if the windows are cracked.