A heartbreaking situation out of South Florida has left a family devastated after a 1-year-old girl died after allegedly being left inside a parked vehicle for approximately eight hours. A 22-year-old Homestead man is now facing multiple felony charges in connection with the child’s death.
Authorities identified the suspect as Keyner Roman Vazquez De Leon. According to investigators, he was responsible for transporting the little girl from her home to a babysitter’s residence Monday through Saturday, a routine he had reportedly been following for approximately one year.
According to the arrest report, Vazquez De Leon picked up the child from her home around 6:45 a.m., intending to take her to the babysitter as usual. Investigators said he also picked up another person and drove that individual to work as part of his regular morning routine.
But after dropping that person off, authorities say Vazquez De Leon returned to his home in Homestead with the 1-year-old girl still inside his vehicle.
According to investigators, he parked the vehicle, turned off the engine and went inside his residence, leaving the toddler unattended in the car.
What makes the situation even more disturbing is that authorities say he later went outside and began washing vehicles around 9 a.m. while the little girl remained inside the parked vehicle.
Hours passed without the child being taken out of the car.
Around 3 p.m., the girl’s mother reportedly contacted Vazquez De Leon to ask about her daughter’s whereabouts. That’s when investigators say he realized he had never dropped the child off at the babysitter’s home.
Authorities said he immediately went to check on the little girl and discovered her unresponsive inside her car seat.
According to the arrest report, he removed the car seat with the child still strapped inside, carried her into his residence and called 911.
Homestead police officers and Miami-Dade Fire Rescue personnel responded to the home in the area of Northwest Ninth Court. Emergency crews attempted to provide lifesaving medical assistance, but the little girl was pronounced dead at the scene.
The circumstances surrounding the child’s death are now the subject of a homicide investigation.
Investigators also confirmed that Vazquez De Leon was not related to the little girl. Authorities said he was transported to the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office Homicide Bureau for questioning following the incident.
According to the arrest report, after being advised of his Miranda rights, Vazquez De Leon provided a statement that investigators said corroborated the circumstances described in their report.
The 22-year-old is now facing three serious felony charges: aggravated manslaughter of a child under 18, leaving a child younger than six unattended in a motor vehicle resulting in bodily harm, and child neglect causing great bodily harm.
He remained in custody at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center as of Monday, November 9. During his court appearance, a judge denied bond on the aggravated manslaughter charge.
The tragedy has also left neighbors shaken, with some expressing disbelief over how the situation could have happened.
One neighbor told NBC 6 that Vazquez De Leon normally transported children to school and described the situation as difficult to understand. Other residents expressed concern about trusting someone to care for their children after hearing what happened.
For the little girl’s family, however, the situation is far more devastating than anything happening in the courtroom. A routine Saturday morning turned into an unimaginable tragedy, leaving a mother without her young daughter.
The investigation remains ongoing, and Vazquez De Leon is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
Video Credit: WPLG Local 10
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