A Pennsylvania man now faces charges weeks after his 14-month-old daughter died in a hot car, officials said.

On June 11, 2026, around 4:15 p.m., Colonial Regional Police responded to the 4900 block of Hanoverville Road in Lower Nazareth, Pennsylvania, for a report of a 14-month-old child who was unresponsive after being left inside a vehicle.

When police arrived, they spotted the girl’s father, 38-year-old Daniel Moist of Nazareth Township, standing next to his parked Ford Explorer. They then found his 14-month-old daughter dead in a rear-facing car seat inside the vehicle, according to the criminal complaint.

One of the officers spoke with Moist as he sat inside the police vehicle, officials said. The officer said Moist pointed to a vaping device that was on the floor of the vehicle.

Moist was then taken to Colonial Regional Police headquarters for an interview and appeared to have glossy and bloodshot eyes, according to the criminal complaint. Moist told police that earlier that day he was driving with his 7-year-old daughter and 14-month-old daughter inside the vehicle, officials said.

Moist said he dropped his 7-year-old daughter off at school for a sports camp and was then supposed to drop his 14-month-old daughter off at a day care in Easton, Pennsylvania, according to the criminal complaint. Moist said he regularly dropped his daughter off at the day care four days a week.

Moist said he never dropped his daughter off at day care on that day, however, according to investigators. Instead, he stopped at a gas station, bought drinks from the store and then traveled to his job in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, police said. Moist told investigators he arrived at his job around 9:50 a.m. that morning, checked emails on his cellphone for about 10 minutes and then went into his office, according to the criminal complaint.

Moist then left his office hours later around 2:30 p.m. and went into his vehicle for 10 to 15 minutes to relax, police said. He then went back to his office until he received a call from his wife shortly after 4 p.m., according to the criminal complaint. He then returned to his vehicle where he discovered his 14-month-old daughter was dead in her car seat, police said.

Moist immediately left the parking lot and planned to take his daughter to Lehigh Valley Hospital – Hecktown Oaks, officials said. Meanwhile, his wife went to pick their daughter up from day care and learned the girl had never been dropped off that day, officials said. Moist’s wife called him and told him to call 911 after learning what happened, according to the criminal complaint.

Moist said he called 911 and the dispatcher told him to drive to a location where medics could respond, officials said. Moist then parked in a parking lot along the 4900 block of Hanoverville Road where police later arrived.

Moist also told police during the interview that he had previously been arrested and charged with DUI in 2023 after eating a THC “gummie,” according to the criminal complaint.

Following an investigation, Moist was arraigned on Thursday, July 2, and charged with murder in the third-degree, involuntary manslaughter, endangering the welfare of children, recklessly endangering another person and leaving a child unattended in a vehicle. He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on July 15, 2026.

NBC10 reached out to Moist’s attorney, Gary Asteak, who maintained his client’s innocence.

“Let there be no rush to judgment. This was a horrible family tragedy. A family’s worst nightmare,” Asteak said. “But to cast blame now is unfair and reflects a lack of compassion. When the whole story is told, it will bring tears to everyone’s eyes. Daniel is innocent and a jury may be needed to hear the whole truth.”