Florida firefighter charged after son dies in hot vehicle

Hillsborough County, (WFLA) — A Palm Harbor, Florida father has been charged with aggravated manslaughter in connection with his son’s death. He bonded out of jail Saturday morning.

Lawson Whitaker, 23 months old, was found Friday inside a vehicle in the 1600 block of Castlewood Lane.

Officials received the call around 4:30 p.m. The child “was left unattended in the back of his father’s truck for about eight hours,” deputies said.

The boy’s parents, Troy Whitaker, 41, and Kristin Whitaker, 33, also have a 5-year-old daughter.

Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said Troy Whitaker, a firefighter with Hillsborough County Fire Rescue, was taking both children to school Friday morning. He dropped the daughter off and was then supposed to drop Lawson off at preschool, the sheriff said. “For some reason he didn’t,” Gualtieri said.