A Texas man who reportedly forgot that his 6-month-old daughter was in the family’s van who died inside the vehicle as temperatures rise, attempted to cool her by putting her in a refrigerator, according to official records.

Michael Shannon Thedford, 33-years-old, was arrested Tuesday on one count of manslaughter and released on bond the same day, according to records from the Collin County Sheriff’s Office.

According to reports, Thedford dropped his other two children, ages 5 and 3, off at day care and returned to his home with his 6-month-old daughter around 9 a.m. Tuesday, according to a probable cause affidavit.

He allegedly forgot his 6-month-old daughter was in the van and went inside to nap, according to the affidavit. He usually dropped his infant daughter off at day care as well, but she had a fever on Monday night and couldn’t go.

She was in the van for at least three hours before he woke up and found her.

Afterwards, he “placed the girl in the refrigerator for an undetermined length of time,” before calling 911, according to the official report.

Thedford and his wife attempted to perform CPR on the girl, but they were not successful.

Sheriff’s deputies responded around 1:30 p.m. to Thedford’s home in Melissa, a city with a population of 4,695 roughly 40 miles north of Dallas.

“They were asking the mother a few questions and she looked like she was crying. She was devastated. So was he, he would hug her and cry as well,” neighbor Fabiola Contreras said.

Thedford worked as a substitute teacher for the local high school and is a “very serious and quiet person,” she told the television station.

“It’s hard to believe because how can you forget a child in your own car? It’s your child,” she said.

Source: Reuters