Pa. father charged with third-degree murder after 14-month-old daughter found dead in SUV
LOWER NAZARETH TWP., Pa. (WPVI) -- A father has been charged with third-degree murder after his 14-month-old daughter was found dead in the back of his SUV last month in Northampton County.
Daniel Moist, 38, is also charged with involuntary manslaughter, endangering the welfare of children, recklessly endangering another person and leaving a child unattended in a vehicle.
The active ingredient for marijuana was found in Moist's blood after the incident on June 11, investigators say.
Temperatures climbed into the 90s that day.
According to police, Moist had dropped his 7-year-old daughter off for a sports camp at Pen Argyl High School at 9 a.m., and was then supposed to drop his 14-month-old daughter off at daycare.
Dropping the child off at daycare was part of Moist's routine, investigators said.
Moist did not stop at the daycare, but police say he did stop at a gas station to buy drinks before continuing on to work.
He arrived at work around 9:50 a.m., and he allegedly told police he spent 10 minutes checking emails on his phone before he went into his office building in the 6200 block of Sterner's Way.
Moist was inside the building until about 2:30 p.m., when he allegedly told police he went back out to his Ford Explorer for 10 to 15 minutes to relax before going back into the office.
Police say he then received a phone call from his wife shortly after 4 p.m., who had arrived at the daycare to find their daughter wasn't there.
Moist returned to his car and found the baby girl. He got into his car and started driving, telling police he intended to get his daughter to a hospital.
A 911 dispatcher told him to pull over so EMS could respond to his location. His Explorer was then stopped in a parking lot in the 4900 block of Hanoverville Road.
Police and medics arrived to find that the girl was dead.
Investigators say they also found that the SUV had a mirror in the back seat, which would have allowed the driver to see the child in her rear-facing car seat.
Moist was sitting in the back of a patrol car while police were on the scene, and investigators say he pointed out an object on the floor of the vehicle. Police say it was determined to be a vaping device.
Results of a blood draw obtained with a search warrant revealed the presence of the active ingredients of marijuana, police said.
Moist has a preliminary hearing scheduled for July 15.
According to Kids and Car Safety, more than half of hot car deaths happen when a caregiver unknowingly leaves a child behind. They say factors like stress, lack of sleep, and even a small change in routine can play a role.
"Look before you lock means open the back door, check the back seat every single time you leave your vehicle," said Amber Rollins, the executive director of Kids and Car Safety.
Experts also advise parents to create simple reminders that their child is in the backseat
"Grab an old stuffed animal, throw it in the backseat of your car and leave it there. Anytime you buckle the baby into the backseat, grab that stuffy, bring it up front, and put it in your lap as a physical cue that your child is with you," said Rollins.
Advocates are also pushing for stronger technology in vehicles. A federal law passed in 2021 called for new safety standards aimed at preventing hot car deaths, but those regulations have yet to be finalized.
