North Texas toddler dies in hot car; father faces manslaughter charge
MELISSA, TX (KTRK) -- A six-month-old girl has died after she was left inside a hot car in North Texas, and now her father is facing a felony charge in the case.
Police found the toddler unresponsive around 1:30pm Tuesday in Melissa, Texas, according to the Collin County Sheriffs Office.
Details are limited at this time, but authorities have charged the girl's father, Michael Thedford, with manslaughter. His bond has been set at $20,000.
This incident marks the 16th hot car-related death, according to Kids and Cars, a public safety awareness campaign. Last year, there were seven. That marks an increase of 230 percent.
Texas tops the nation in these types of deaths. At least 106 children in the state have died from vehicular heat stroke between 1991 and 2015.
RELATED: Help available for parents to avoid hot car death tragedies
