Louisiana Father Arrested for Murder After Leaving Infant Daughter in Hot Car for Over Nine Hours

Joseph Boatman, 32, was detained Sunday after his 21-month-old daughter died after he allegedly left her inside a 105F car. He posted this picture with his child on his social media

A Louisiana man has been arrested and charged with second-degree murder after allegedly leaving his 21-month-old daughter in a sweltering car for more than nine hours, leading to her tragic death from apparent heatstroke.

Joseph Boatman, 32, was taken into custody on Sunday in the Madisonville area after deputies from the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office responded to a call just before noon. A family member had discovered the unresponsive toddler still buckled into her car seat inside the vehicle.

Authorities determined that Boatman had picked the child up from a family member’s home early that morning after consuming multiple alcoholic beverages. At approximately 2:30 a.m., he placed his daughter in her car seat and returned inside the residence—never going back to retrieve her.

Temperatures in Madisonville that day reached 95°F, with the heat index making it feel more like 105°F. According to the National Weather Service, temperatures inside a parked vehicle can rise rapidly, making conditions lethal in just minutes.

Boatman is facing a second-degree murder charge and is currently being held on a $75,000 cash bond, according to his arrest report

“This is a devastating loss that no family ever wants to face,” said Sheriff Randy Smith. “When a child is left in a vehicle, especially on a day when the heat index climbs over 100 degrees, the outcome can turn deadly in a matter of minutes. This case involved compromised judgment, and the result was heartbreaking.”

Boatman remains in custody on a $75,000 cash bond. His criminal history includes a prior conviction for the online solicitation of a minor. In June 2019, he was arrested during "Operation Broken Heart," a law enforcement initiative targeting internet crimes against children. He is a registered sex offender.

This case marks the fifth hot car child fatality in the United States this year, according to Kids and Car Safety. Since 1990, at least 1,130 children have died in hot vehicles across the country, and over 75,000 have survived with injuries. Data shows that on average, 38 children die annually in hot cars, with 88 percent of victims being three years old or younger.

The tragedy in Louisiana echoes a similar incident in Albuquerque on May 25, where a one-year-old boy died after being left in a parked pickup truck. The child had been under the supervision of a male relative who reportedly forgot the boy was in the vehicle. It wasn’t until around 5 p.m.—nearly seven hours later—that the family discovered the child was missing. Despite emergency efforts, the child died at the scene. The interior of the vehicle is estimated to have exceeded 200°F, although the outdoor temperature that day was only 83°F.

Authorities continue to emphasize the fatal risk posed by leaving children unattended in vehicles, especially during high temperatures.