A perfect storm of family issues, an arrest, and sweltering heat has led to the death of a Largo baby and left his young sister fighting for her life.
A welfare check by Pinellas County Child Protective investigators at the South Belcher Road mobile home turned up an 8 month old dead in an un-air conditioned bedroom, and his two year old sister suffering from extreme dehydration. Police say the room’s temperature was 109 degrees when they arrived.
The childrens’ father, 25 year old William Hendrickson, had been advised by child protective investigators just a day before not to keep the children in the hot room. But Hendrickson says he did it to keep them away from his live-in parents.
The kids’ mother is currently in jail after a violent confrontation with Hendrickson’s parents. Hendrickson faces manslaughter charges in the death of his son and child neglect charges in the condition of his daughter.
