Franlkin County Parents Charged with Manslaughter after Toddler Dies in Hot Car

Two Franklin County parents have been charged with manslaughter after a small child was left unattended in a hot car.

According to the Franklin County Sheriff's Office, authorities received a call of an unresponsive three-year-old in a car on Church Street in Hodges at approximately 4 p.m. Sunday, August 9th. Despite EMS attempts to resuscitate the child, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

The child's parents, 20-year-old Dakota Health Fowler and 21-year-old Brandi Michelle Burks, stated that the child was last seen at midnight when they placed him in bed. Fowler and Burks said that they then woke up around 3 p.m. and were unable to locate the child before finding him in the car.

Both Burks and Fowler were arrested and charged with manslaughter.

The case is still under investigation, and the child's body has been sent to the state forensics department for a full autopsy.