19-year-old accused of leaving infant son in car for hours charged with murder
NEW PHILADELPHIA (WJER) (Sept. 2, 2022) – A city man is being held in the Tuscarawas County Jail for allegedly causing the death of his infant son by leaving him in a parked car for hours.
19-year-old Landon Parrott is charged with murder, involuntary manslaughter, and endangering children. New Philadelphia Police Captain and lead detective Ty Norris says the investigation began around 2 pm Thursday when they received a call from Cleveland Clinic Union Hospital about a man showing up there with an unresponsive 14-month-old, whom staff tried unsuccessfully to resuscitate.
“There were some concerns as to the condition that the child was in. Those conditions did not really match the story that the father had given to hospital personnel. So they obviously called us and said, ‘Hey these people live here in Phila. I think you probably need to send an officer over.’”
Norris says they obtained surveillance video showing Parrott removing the infant from a car parked in the driveway of the home in the 500 block of Ashwood Lane NW, putting him back in, and then driving off. When questioned about what had transpired, Parrot reportedly admitted to leaving the child there unattended for approximately five hours.
“They live with a roommate. That roommate was sleeping, and his concern was that this child would cry or make noise that would wake up this roommate. So he, in turn, made the decision just to keep the child in this car strapped into his car seat.”
Parrott made his initial appearance in New Philadelphia Municipal Court Friday and had his bond set at $250,000.