Police said the 7-month-old girl was left inside a closed vehicle for about two and a half hours.
VERNAL, Utah — A Utah father was arrested on suspicion of child abuse homicide after police said his 7-month-old daughter died following more than two hours inside a parked vehicle with its engine off and windows closed.
Tommy Dean Platero, 34, was booked into the Uintah County Jail after the child was taken to Uintah Basin Medical Center on Tuesday, July 28. The Vernal Police Department said the investigation remained active, while the Utah Office of the Medical Examiner was expected to determine the official cause and manner of death.
According to a police booking affidavit reported by Utah news organizations, Platero left a Vernal residence intending to take the girl to day care before going to work. Investigators allege that he forgot to make the day care stop and instead drove to a building on North Vernal Avenue, leaving the child secured in her car seat.
The affidavit said the vehicle was turned off, its windows were raised and its doors were likely locked. Platero allegedly remained inside the building for approximately two hours and 30 minutes before realizing that the infant was still in the vehicle. He then ran outside at about 3:30 p.m. and found her unresponsive, police said.
Platero took the child to the hospital, where medical workers pronounced her dead. The affidavit listed her internal body temperature at 109 degrees. Authorities did not publicly identify the infant, and police asked that her family’s privacy be respected.
The outside temperature in Vernal was about 92 degrees during the period under investigation, according to the affidavit. Investigators estimated that the temperature inside the closed vehicle had risen to between 131 and 151 degrees. Those figures were part of the preliminary investigation and had not yet been incorporated into a final medical examiner’s finding.
Police said the child could not free herself from the car seat. The booking affidavit alleges that Platero’s conduct recklessly contributed to her death. Child abuse homicide is a first-degree felony under the allegation cited by investigators, but formal charging decisions rest with prosecutors. Platero is presumed innocent unless proved guilty in court.
Platero was identified in news reports as an employee of the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. The vehicle was parked outside a Utah Department of Natural Resources facility when the child was left inside, according to investigators. Officials had not released information indicating that anyone else was suspected of involvement.
The Vernal Police Department said it was working with partner agencies during the investigation. Police did not release additional details about the family, the vehicle or the events before Platero left for work. No defense attorney was identified in the available court and news reports.
The infant’s remains were sent to the Utah Office of the Medical Examiner for further examination. Police said the investigation was continuing, and additional information may be released after prosecutors review the evidence and the medical examiner completes its work.
Author note: Last updated July 30, 2026.