The father accused in the case appeared visibly shocked during his recent court appearance when the judge declared he would be held without bond.
Authorities in Florida arrested 33-year-old Scott Allen Gardner on June 19, 2025, in connection with the death of his 18-month-old son, Sebastian Gardner. The Volusia Sheriff’s Office and the Ormond Beach Police Department charged him with aggravated manslaughter of a child and child neglect causing severe harm.
The charges against Scott came after a heartbreaking series of events that unfolded earlier in the month. On June 6, Scott left Sebastian alone in a hot truck for almost three hours while he got a haircut and then spent time drinking inside Hanky Panky’s Lounge.
During questioning, Scott changed his story more than once. Medical teams later found that Sebastian’s body temperature had soared to 111 degrees. The officer who had tried to save Sebastian’s life was the same one who arrested Scott at his mother’s house in Ormond Beach.
A body camera from the VSO captured the moment officers arrived at the home to arrest Scott. As they led him to the patrol car, someone called out, “Scotty I love you,” and Scott answered, “I love you guys.” One of the officers then said, “Yeah, say goodbye because you’re not going to come back here again.”
The next day, on June 20, Sheriff Mike Chitwood, Ormond Beach Police Chief Jesse Godfrey, and detectives from both the VSO and OBPD shared details of the case during a press conference. They spoke about the investigation that led to Scott’s arrest.
During that briefing, Sheriff Chitwood said OBPD officers were first on the scene and called what they found “horrific.” The officer added:
“As I take you through to the timeline, I want to start out by saying that this father is a human piece of garbage. […] And he’s exactly where he belongs to be, behind bars.”
Right after sharing his strong words, Sheriff Chitwood presented a timeline on a large screen to explain what happened step by step. According to the timeline, Scott got to the barbershop at 11:30 a.m., while someone else was still getting their hair cut. At 11:41 a.m., the other customer paid, and by around noon, Scott’s haircut was finished.
Not long after, he went to Hanky Panky’s Lounge. Staff began serving him drinks — beer and a shot — but never saw Sebastian. At 12:56 p.m., Scott paid for a round.
Around 1 p.m., someone backed into a bartender’s car, and Scott stepped outside to look at the damage before going back in. He then had another round. By 2 p.m., when a bartender’s shift ended, Scott was still at the bar.
As Scott remained inside the lounge, Sebastian stayed trapped in the vehicle. Scott later claimed the windows were rolled down, but Sheriff Chitwood challenged that, stating only a small battery-powered fan was inside, aimed at the toddler.
At 2:40 p.m., he finally left the bar and drove a short distance home. Soon after, he made a desperate 911 call. “My son’s not breathing,” he said, adding Sebastian’s age. In distress, he also uttered, “Oh, my god he just had his eyes opened. Oh my god.”
Moments after the frantic 911 call, more troubling details began to unfold. When asked if Sebastian was breathing, Scott said no. Sheriff Chitwood explained that Scott didn’t try CPR because Sebastian was already in rigor mortis.
At the hospital, doctors recorded the toddler’s body temperature at about 107 degrees. What stunned many even more was that, after Sebastian’s death, Scott and his mother went back to the bar and stayed there nearly until midnight.
It was also mentioned during the briefing that Sebastian’s mother lives in a different county, as she and Scott were no longer together. Though custody wasn’t legal on paper, Scott had been caring for the child.
After sharing the heartbreaking facts, officials offered their sympathy to Sebastian’s family and others hurt by the loss. Loved ones also set up a GoFundMe page to help. As of now, it has raised $2,828.
Scott appeared in court on June 21, where the judge announced he would remain in custody without bond for the aggravated manslaughter charge.
As those words were spoken, Scott’s eyes grew wide, his brows lifted, and he soon looked away. For the charge of child neglect causing harm, the judge set his bond at $100,000.