Police continue to
investigate weekend toddler’s death, official autopsy reports should be
released soon
Dothan police are investigating the
death of a two-year old boy found in an automobile parked at a home on Lace
Drive off Prevatt Road in Dothan Friday.
Castiel King, 2, was
declared dead by Houston County Coroner Robert Byrd in the emergency room of
Southeast Health at about 7:45 p.m. Friday.
According to Dothan
Police Lt. Lynn Watkins, the department is waiting on the official autopsy
report to be released to determine if any additional steps need to be taken.
Dothan Police Capt. Will Benny said preliminary investigation suggests
the child was not forgotten in the car. “It looks like he got into the car
himself,” Benny said.
Police are currently collecting search warrants
and video that may be available from nearby homes. The investigation is
continuing.
Father of boy who
died in hot car arrested for marijuana possession
July 1, 2019 at 6:45 PM CDT - Updated July 1 at 6:45 PM
DOTHAN, Ala.
(WTVY) - The father of a Dothan toddler who died in a hot car on Friday
faces marijuana charges.
36-year old Robert Patrick King’s arrest
came a few hours after the discovery of his son’s body inside a family car
parked at his home. Officers say they found the illegal drug in King's home.
Investigators believe two-year-old Castiel King climbed into that Mazda
about 3:15 Friday afternoon and stayed there until an older sibling found
him about four hours later.
Paramedics rushed the toddler to
Southeast Health where he was pronounced dead.
“This incident is
absolutely tragic. There are no words to express how tragic this is for
everyone (including) the family, the officers that responded, fire medics,
doctors and nurses,” Dothan Police Captain Will Benny told WTVY.
On
Monday afternoon, police recreated the scene. With similar weather as
Friday, they placed a thermometer in the car about the same time as the
toddler climbed in it. The temperature quickly soared to over 100 degrees.
Investigators also flew a drone around the King’s home on Lace Drive, in
East Dothan. The video could be used in court, if necessary.
Benny
said it is too early to speculate if Robert King and his wife will be
charged in their son’s death.