WILLIAMSBURG COUNTY, S.C. (WCSC) – The grief-stricken father of a toddler who died after being left in a hot car says his son would still be alive if the Department of Social Services had handled their custody case differently.<\/p>\n
Xy\u2019mere Miller was four months old when he died on Aug. 25 after being left alone in a vehicle for what family members say were hours. His father, John Miller II, is calling his son\u2019s death a tragic failure of the system meant to protect children.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m still waiting to wake up from this nightmare,\u201d John Miller said through tears. \u201cI know I could have many more kids, but I want that kid. I want that child.\u201d<\/p>\n
John Miller says Xy\u2019mere Miller was removed from his birth mother\u2019s care immediately after birth and placed with Armina Seals Middleton, who has since been charged in connection with the boy\u2019s death. Xy\u2019mere\u2019s grandfather, Pastor John T. Miller, says he and his wife had been fighting for months to gain custody of both Xy\u2019mere and his older sister.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe feel that we were let down by the system. We really do,\u201d John T. Miller explained. \u201cThe system wasn\u2019t really providing anything, and we did everything they asked us to do,\u201d said Wanda Miller, Xy\u2019mere\u2019s grandmother.<\/p>\n
Ironically, the Millers say the day Xy\u2019mere died, DSS granted them temporary custody of his older sibling. The timing has left the family questioning whether their son\u2019s death could have been prevented had the agency acted more swiftly on their initial custody requests.<\/p>\n
\u201cNone of it had to happen,\u201d the family maintains, expressing both grief over their loss and frustration with what they see as systemic failures.<\/p>\n
Middleton faces charges of homicide by child abuse, related to Xy\u2019mere Miller\u2019s death. She is currently out of jail on bond.<\/p>\n
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