A young father from Lake Havasu City faces prosecution following the Saturday death of his daughter who was left unattended in a hot vehicle. Lake Havasu City police responded at about 1:25 p.m. to the report of an unresponsive child in the area of Cadet Lane and McCulloch Boulevard.
“Officers learned that 23-year-old Ty Martin had left his infant daughter unattended in his car for approximately 45 minutes to an hour while visiting his friend, 23-year-old Noah Grabowski in the 40 block of Tailstar Lane,” a news release stated. It said CPR efforts were initiated but that the 18-month-old girl never recovered and she was pronounced dead following transport to a local hospital.
A probable cause statement indicated that Martin admitted smoking marijuana and playing video games at the Tailstar Lane residence. He was initially charged with manslaughter and the investigation continues.
Police Lt. Shane Sloma said Martin and Grabowski drove a short distance from the Tailstar Lane before finding the unresponsive girl in the back seat of the vehicle. Grabowski was charged with cultivation and possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia following a search of the home conducted as part of the death investigation.
“This incident is tragic for everyone involved, and completely avoidable,” the press release said. “The Lake Havasu City Police Department would like to remind everyone that it is never acceptable to leave a child unattended in a motor vehicle. Inside temperatures can spike rapidly, even with the air conditioner running.”