Man who left son to die in hot car for 7 hours while drinking tried to discard weed during arrest, records state

Newly released court records have unveiled heartbreaking details in the death of a 13-month-old infant, who authorities believe was left inside a sweltering vehicle for approximately seven hours.

Logan Keith Chewning, 30, faces a manslaughter charge following the tragic incident at a home on Stone Ridge Court in Brookwood, Tuscaloosa.

The Discovery

Emergency responders, including Brookwood police, the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, Brookwood Fire, and Northstar Ambulance, were summoned to the residence at 4:57 p.m. Wednesday. The call was placed by the child's grandmother, a nurse who had arrived to check on the baby after being unable to reach Chewning by phone.

Tragically, she discovered the unresponsive child still strapped into his car seat. Despite her efforts to revive him, the infant had already succumbed to the extreme conditions. An investigator’s report noted the child’s body was "highly discolored, purple and blistered" upon discovery.

Events Leading to the Tragedy

Witness accounts provided to investigators suggest that Chewning was seen leaving the home with the baby around 9:30 a.m. Wednesday. A witness reported that when Chewning returned 20 to 30 minutes later, he was no longer holding the child. The witness assumed the baby had been dropped off at daycare.

Authorities state that upon arrival at the scene, officers detected a strong odor of alcohol emanating from Chewning. Furthermore, records indicate that while being detained, the father attempted to discard a small amount of marijuana.

Investigation Ongoing

Tuscaloosa Violence Crimes Unit Capt. Jack Kennedy indicated that Chewning admitted to drinking throughout the day and leaving his residence to purchase additional alcohol. While Chewning reportedly expressed remorse and claimed he believed the child was safely in his crib, officials maintain the actions were inherently reckless.

"His behavior was reckless and caused this death," Kennedy said, adding that there is no evidence of intentional harm, but the circumstances surrounding the child's care were unacceptable. "If you’re solely responsible for an infant, you don’t need to be involved in alcohol, controlled substances, working 36 hours without sleep or any of those things."

An autopsy is pending to confirm the exact cause of death. According to Kennedy, the investigation remains active and open, and potential charges against Chewning could be upgraded in the future.