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Father charged after 14-month-old found dead in car in Lower Nazareth
Northampton County DA Stephen G. Baratta gives an update on the 14-month-old child that was found deceased in a vehicle in Lower Nazareth.
NAZARETH, Pa. - A Northampton County father is facing charges after prosecutors say his 14-month-old daughter was found dead in the backseat of his car last month.
The backstory:
Officers responded to 4939 Hanoverville Road around 4:17 p.m. after a report of an unresponsive child left in a vehicle. Police say they found the 14-month-old girl deceased in a rear-facing car seat, with a seat mirror installed for the driver to view the child.
Police say Daniel Jeffery Moist was the parent who typically dropped the children at daycare. He reportedly dropped one child at camp, drove past the daycare for his daughter, stopped at a gas station, then went to work around 9:50 a.m.
Moist remained at his workplace for most of the day, returning to his vehicle only briefly before learning from his wife that their daughter had not been dropped off at daycare.
Police say Moist discovered his daughter deceased in the vehicle after his wife called him. He then left the parking lot, headed toward a hospital, and called 911 after being advised to pull over for EMS to respond.
Timeline:
Police say Moist had both children in his car when he left home, dropped one at camp, and was supposed to drop the other at daycare. He went to work, stayed in the office until 2:30 p.m., briefly returned to his car, then went back inside until about 4:00 p.m. After learning his daughter was not at daycare, he found her deceased in the car.
During the investigation, officers observed Moist with glassy, bloodshot eyes and found a THC vaping device in his possession. A blood test later showed active components of marijuana in his system, according to police.
What we know:
Moist is charged with murder of the third degree, involuntary manslaughter, endangering the welfare of children, reckless endangerment, and leaving a child unattended in a motor vehicle. Bail was set at $500,000 unsecured.
What they're saying:
The District Attorney urges all drivers to remain vigilant, especially as temperatures rise, and to ensure that no child is left unattended in a vehicle. Officials warn that temperatures inside a parked vehicle can increase rapidly on hot days, quickly reaching dangerous and potentially life-threatening levels.