Police: Man Charged In Death Of Grandson Left Inside Hot Car

[Phillygirl]

MEDIA, Pa. -- A suburban Philadelphia man has been charged in the death of his grandson who was left inside the man's SUV on a sweltering day nearly two weeks ago, officials said.

Edward Kanterman, 59, pleaded not guilty to a charge of involuntary manslaughter Monday in court.

His 14-month-old grandson Nicholas McCorkle died after being left alone in a hot SUV during a recent heat wave.

Authorities said Kanterman forgot to drop the toddler off at day care the morning of June 10 and drove to work at the CHI Institute, where he left the child in the back seat. He discovered Nicholas about five hours later.

Prosecutors said the temperature inside the vehicle was 110 degrees and the child's internal temperature was 107.2 degrees when he arrived at the hospital. Nicholas was taken off life support five days later.

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I disagree with the decision to charge here. It was a tragedy. I don't see the good that will come from charging the grandfather criminally.

[SarasotaRepub]

You're right Philly, he should be charged with being a Dumbass Moron.

How the HELL do you "forget" a kid in the same friggen car with you???

[Phillygirl]

You're right Philly, he should be charged with being a Dumbass Moron.

How the HELL do you "forget" a kid in the same friggen car with you???

The guy had a senior moment. He had been doing the drop off to daycare for awhile, then the routine changed and he had stopped doing it. This was his first day of doing it again. He was just on autopilot and went to work. The kid was asleep in the car. Stupid? Yes. Criminal? I don't think so. The family is obviously distraught over it. It's not like he forgot about the kid because he went to do drugs or something. I am surprised they charged him. I don't see the point in it. Punishment? He'll be more punished the rest of his life because he caused the death of his grandson. Rehabilitation? Please. I doubt he'll be forgetting any other kids in his car. Warning to others? Again, there was no intention here, so I don't see how that applies.

Sometimes a tragedy is just a tragedy and criminal laws don't apply.

[Vepr]

If he is having "senior moments" he should not be driving. His next senior moment will probably be forgetting which pedal is the brake.

[LogansPapa]

I wouldn't charge this man with anything. In fact, I'd help him out by giving him a round of fresh ammo.

[Gingersnap]

You're right Philly, he should be charged with being a Dumbass Moron.

How the HELL do you "forget" a kid in the same friggen car with you???

It happens all too often. I was reading last year that someone was working on an alarm for this kind of thing. If you walked away from the car, the alarm would sound if the kid was still in the car seat.

[lurkalot]

One of my frequent recurring nightmares...thanks for bringing it up :mad:
Of course its been pointed out that with her constant chatter the sudden peace and quiet would alarm anyone to her absence, but still..I can work myself up to the point of tears worrying about it. When she was tiny I would leave MY car door open until I had gotten her safely out of the vehicle, just so I wouldn't accidentally lock her in. Leaving a child in a car seems to happen a lot in Vegas, in fact there is a case going on right now where the family had five children, forgot one for 24 hours in a car, and now have lost custody of the other children.
I think the guy should be prosecuted. Senior moment or not...it was involuntary manslaughter!

[Lanie]

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I disagree with the decision to charge here. It was a tragedy. I don't see the good that will come from charging the grandfather criminally.

I agree. I don't see any malice here. Maybe he shouldn't be allowed to look after children anymore, but he shouldn't be charged.

[noonwitch]

It happens all too often. I was reading last year that someone was working on an alarm for this kind of thing. If you walked away from the car, the alarm would sound if the kid was still in the car seat.

I agree. We have had plenty in this area-most notoriously, the woman a few years back who left her kids in the car while she got her hair done. She got charged with 2nd degree murder. The ironic thing is that I know someone who got her hair done at the same salon, and she said that the place was very kid-friendly.

If the guy really did have a senior moment, he still needs to be charged with involuntary manslaughter, and given a medical evaluation to see if he should be living independently. My 95 year old grandfather would not make that mistake.

[Phillygirl]

I agree. We have had plenty in this area-most notoriously, the woman a few years back who left her kids in the car while she got her hair done. She got charged with 2nd degree murder. The ironic thing is that I know someone who got her hair done at the same salon, and she said that the place was very kid-friendly.

If the guy really did have a senior moment, he still needs to be charged with involuntary manslaughter, and given a medical evaluation to see if he should be living independently. My 95 year old grandfather would not make that mistake.

I could understand the charge if he purposely left the kid in the car for any reason (go to the bar, go to the hairdresser, buy a lottery ticket). But he simply did not do any of these things. He was on autopilot, apparently just "forgot" that he had the child with him (the child was asleep in the back seat in his seat). It was a tragic mistake, with absolutely no intent whatsoever.

And before anyone swears that their 90 year old great uncle wouldn't do such a thing, you just never know. I remember when my sister locked her son in her car when he was an infant and it was about 85 degrees outside. We can all say we would never do such a stupid thing. She thought the same of herself before that. But it happened.

Granted, I doubt this guy will get any jail time, I'm sure it will be probation. I just don't see the state's interest in this.