Baby Dies After Being Left In Car

Father Charged With Second-Degree Child Endangerment

May 20, 2004 7:03 pm US/Eastern

LAKEWOOD, N.J. (AP) A 7-month-old baby was found dead in his car seat Thursday afternoon, after he was accidentally left inside a vehicle for several hours, authorities said.

The boy's father, Aryeh Katzman, 25, of Lakewood was charged with second-degree child endangerment and released after posting $100,000 bail.

Detective Capt. Robert Lawson, a Lakewood police spokesman, said Katzman had placed his son, Chaim, in the car at their home early Thursday and apparently forgot about him when he left the vehicle.

It was not immediately clear how long the baby had been in the car, but Lawson said he apparently had been dead for some time when he was found around 2 p.m.

"It wasn't a very warm day, but being in the car for some time and with the sun bearing down, it became very hot in the vehicle," Lawson said, noting that the boy had open blisters on his body.