A Kansas foster parent who left his 10-month-old daughter inside of a hot car last week has been formally charged with murder on Wednesday.
Seth Michael Jackson was charged by prosecutors with felony first-degree murder, with an alternative charge of second-degree reckless murder offered, according to The Wichita Eagle. Court Judge Joe Kirsner upped the 29-year-old's bond to $250,000.
Kansas Department for Children and Families Secretary Phyllis Gilmore said the organization agrees with the charges. "We remain deeply saddened that this child suffered such a horrific death," Gilmore said. "We support the charges filed in this case, and we will aid in any way possible the prosecution of the defendant."
The 10-month-old foster child died late last week after Jackson claimed that he forgot she was inside of the vehicle. He did not forgot a 5-year-old that was also in the car.
The child sat in the car, with windows up and the temperature hovering around 90 degrees, for nearly two and a half hours before he realized the child was still in the car.
Jackson's partner likely won't face charges as he was in the backyard at the time and believed all their children to be playing inside. They had four other children they were taking care, with two being the 10-month-old's older sisters.