Louisiana – A Louisiana parent, 32-year-old J. Botman, has been arrested and charged with second-degree murder following the tragic death of his chiId, AnsIeigh. The incident occurred earlier this week when the toddIer was Ieft unattended in a vehicIe for over 9 hours. The child’s mother, K. FuIcher, resides in Texas and had previously expressed concerns about the defendant’s custody. A Texas judge had granted him visitation rights after he completed an eight-hour parenting class.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, the defendant arrived at a famiIy member’s home around 2:30 a.m. on June 8 to pick up his 1-year-old child. Prior to this, he had reportedly consumed multiple aIcohoIic beverages. After strapping the 1-year-old victim into her car seat, the defendant went back inside the residence and did not return to the vehicle. The child remained in the vehicle, which was parked outside the home, for more than nine hours. Temperatures in the area reached more than ninety degrees, with a heat index climbing to over one hundred degrees.
Around noon, a family member discovered the toddIer unresponsive inside the vehicIe and alerted the Louisiana authorities. Deputies arrived at the scene and pronounced the child dead. The official cause of death is pending an autopsy by the Coroner’s Office.
Following the incident, the defendant was arrested and booked into the correctional center on June 8. He is currently being held on a $750,000 bond. Louisiana authorities continue to investigate the case, and additional charges may be forthcoming.
The child’s mother, K. FuIcher, resides in Texas and had previously expressed concerns about the defendant’s custody. A Texas judge had granted him visitation rights after he completed an eight-hour parenting class. Family members report that the woman feels devastated and believes she failed her daughter. A close family friend stated that the victim’s mom never wanted her child to be in the defendant’s custody but had to agree to visitation when seeking child support.
As of now, the defendant faces a second-degree murder charge. The District Attorney’s Office is awaiting the results of the toxicology report and other investigative findings to determine if additional charges are warranted.