ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — The 1-year-old boy who was found dead inside of a car outside of a home in the Pine Hills neighborhood of Orlando on Friday has been identified, according to authorities on Saturday.


What You Need To Know

  • Orange County Sheriff's deputies responded just before 4 p.m.

  • Investigators believe the child died after being left in a hot car


The Orange County Sheriff’s Office stated that Jace Leslie was discovered unresponsive in a rear-facing car seat on Friday at 3:42 p.m. on 5705 Indian Hill Rd. after the baby was found.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Office stated that it appears the baby was left inside a black Nissan Altima parked outside the home. In a Saturday morning updated news release, the Sheriff's Office added, "We want to be clear that there is no connection between baby Jace’s death and the home on Indian Hill Road."

According to the investigation, which is still ongoing, it appears that a caregiver was expected to drop off the baby at an Indian Hill Road location for daycare before going to work, however, the caregiver did not drop off the child.

The caregiver, who has not been named and no charges have been filed, came back to the "daycare location" on Friday afternoon and discovered Leslie unresponsive in the hot car, stated the Sheriff's Office.

Bystanders tried to give aid to the child before emergency responders arrived, but rescue officials determined that the baby had died, according to the Sheriff's Office.

"Detectives believe Jace died as a result of being inside the hot car for an extended period, but they must wait on the medical examiner’s office for an official cause of death," according to the news release.

During their investigation of the scene, deputies did tow away the car from the home.

Alton Williams, 18, and other neighbors say they believe a daycare center operates out of the home.

“When I was in my room, I was laying there and I heard screaming. And I came outside to see what it was 'cause I thought people were fighting, and I seen one of the workers. She was out there running around and screaming," Williams said. "And then there was a guy – he had came up to the car and took the kid out of the car, and then they went over there, like, by that tree. And I think they was trying to resuscitate the baby or something."

As of late Friday, Investigators had not said anyone had been charged with a crime in connection with the baby's death.

Reporter Rachael Krause contributed to this story.