ATHENS, Texas (KETK) – A six-month-old baby was found dead inside of a vehicle outside of an East Texas elementary school.
According to Sheriff Botie Hillhouse, Jackson Tetrick, 25, of Brownsboro was arrested by authorities Thursday and charged with criminal negligent homicide. He was arrested in the parking lot of Brownsboro Elementary School at 6:40 p.m.
Investigators says Tetrick took his wife to her workplace and dropped off another child at the school Thursday morning. He said he returned to the family home, forgetting the infant was still in the car seat in the automobile.
At about 9:20 a.m., Tetrick left his house to go to work in Athens. When he picked up the older child at school at 3:30 p.m., he remembered he did not drop off the infant at the babysitter’s house earlier in the morning.
Emergency CPR was administered by school staff, but the child was pronounced dead at 4:40 p.m. by Justice of the Peace Precinct 3 Tony Duncan.
The Henderson County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate the case. Personnel from the Henderson County District Attorney’s Office, Brownsboro ISD Police, Brownsboro Police Department, Athens Police Department and Child Protective Services are assisting.
The child’s body was sent to American Forensic in Dallas for an autopsy.