Summary: Kevin Pell, 47, has been charged with risk of injury to a child after his 1-year-old son was found unresponsive in a car at the family strawberry farm in Broad Brook on Aug. 15. Pell told dispatchers he left the child sleeping in the vehicle; officers later found the boy 'blue and not breathing.' The infant was pronounced dead at a nearby children’s hospital. Pell was released on $1,000,000 bail with conditions barring unsupervised contact with minors. The investigation and autopsy are ongoing.
Connecticut Father Charged After Infant Dies in Hot Car at Family Strawberry Farm
Credit: Google Maps; East Windsor, CT Police Department
A Connecticut man, Kevin Pell, 47, has been charged with risk of injury to a child after his 1-year-old son died on Aug. 15 after being left alone in a vehicle at the family strawberry farm in Broad Brook, about 20 miles north of Hartford.
According to the East Windsor Police Department, Pell called emergency dispatch at 2:25 p.m. and said he had left the child in the car because the boy was sleeping. When Pell returned, officers say he found the child 'blue and not breathing.' First responders rushed the infant to a nearby children's hospital, where the child was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.
What Investigators Say
A search warrant reviewed by PEOPLE states that Pell initially told the dispatcher he 'didn’t have the AC on' when he left the vehicle. Once officers arrived, the warrant says Pell told them the child had been left in the car with the air conditioning on because he was asleep.
Kevin Pell CR: East Windsor, CT Police DepartmentCredit: East Windsor, CT Police Department
Officers reported the vehicle was parked in direct sunlight with the sunroof and windows closed, which the warrant describes as 'not habitable for the child.' The investigation and an autopsy are ongoing to determine the official cause of death.
Legal Case and Bail
Pell was taken into custody and later released on bail set at $1,000,000. As a condition of his release, he is prohibited from being alone and unsupervised with anyone under 18, including his other child. Pell appeared in Hartford Superior Court on Sept. 10 and did not enter a plea; he is scheduled to return on Oct. 16. Prosecutors say additional charges are possible as the probe continues.
The East Windsor Police Department continues to investigate, and Pell’s attorneys did not respond to requests for comment.
Source: East Windsor Police Department; PEOPLE
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