Overview
- A judge sentenced Scott Allen Gardner to 42 years in prison on July 23 after he pleaded no contest to second-degree murder plus aggravated child abuse and aggravated child neglect.
- Investigators say Gardner left his 18-month-old son, Sebastian, alone in a truck with the windows rolled up, the engine off, and only a small portable fan for cooling.
- Authorities reported the June 6, 2025 timeline showed Gardner got a haircut, spent hours at a nearby bar, found his son unresponsive, and drove to his mother’s home before calling 911.
- Officials and courtroom reporting noted the child’s body temperature reached about 111 degrees and that Gardner and his mother later returned to the bar, details prosecutors referenced at sentencing.
- Sebastian’s mother delivered a victim impact statement at sentencing and the plea deal illustrates how prosecutors often resolve high-level charges with reduced counts that still carry long prison terms.