A man who recently pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the death of his toddler has been accused in a new lawsuit of a long-standing pattern of endangering his children by leaving them unattended in vehicles.
The civil complaint, filed on behalf of his 17-year-old daughter from a previous relationship, alleges the father engaged in abusive behavior for years. The legal action claims the teenager was subjected to intentional infliction of emotional distress, assault, and battery between 2016 and 2021. A central allegation is that the man repeatedly locked her inside parked cars when she was a young child, a practice she says began before she was seven years old.
This lawsuit emerged shortly after the 38-year-old man died on November 4. He had been scheduled for a court appearance the following day, where he was expected to be taken into custody to begin serving a 30-year prison sentence. In October, he admitted guilt in the death of his two-year-old daughter, Parker, who perished after being left in a vehicle for three hours on an extremely hot day in July 2024. Reports indicated he was indoors at the time, engaged in other activities.
The teenage daughter’s statements, included in the lawsuit, describe a profound personal impact from the alleged abuse. Following Parker’s tragedy, other young children in the household also reportedly told authorities they were regularly left alone in the car. The lawsuit further names the man’s wife as a defendant.
The legal filing was initiated by a former guardian of the teenager, who stepped in to provide care after the girl’s biological mother passed away last year. The guardian stated the young woman has suffered immensely and expressed a hope for severe consequences. State child welfare records show multiple complaints were filed concerning the family’s children over several years, though officials did not substantiate those earlier reports.
