NORTHAMPTON CO. (WOLF) — A Northampton County father has been charged in connection with the death of his 14-month-old daughter after authorities say she was left inside a vehicle for several hours last month.
Daniel Jeffrey Moist has been charged with third-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter, endangering the welfare of children, recklessly endangering another person and leaving a child unattended in a vehicle, according to court records.
Colonial Regional Police responded shortly after 4:15 p.m. on June 11 to Hanoverville Road for a report of an unresponsive child.
Officers found Moist outside his parked 2019 Ford Explorer. His 14-month-old daughter was discovered unresponsive in a rear-facing child safety seat inside the SUV. She was later pronounced dead.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, Moist told investigators he left home that morning with both of his daughters. After dropping off his older daughter at a sports camp around 9 a.m., he was supposed to take the toddler to her daycare in Easton, a responsibility police said he regularly handled.
Instead, investigators allege Moist stopped at a gas station before driving to his workplace in Bethlehem Township, where he remained throughout the day, believing his daughter had already been dropped off.
Police said the situation came to light shortly after 4 p.m. when Moist received a call from his wife, who had gone to pick up their daughter from daycare and was told the child had never arrived.
According to investigators, Moist returned to his vehicle, found the toddler still inside, called 911 and began driving toward Lehigh Valley Hospital before stopping in a business parking lot on Hanoverville Road to await emergency responders.
Court records show the charges were filed Thursday. A preliminary hearing has not yet been announced.