A Connecticut farm owner has been charged in connection with the death of his one-year-old son, who was found unresponsive in a hot vehicle on Saturday. Kevin Pell, 47, told officers he left the infant alone inside his vehicle while he was working at the Pell Family Farm in East Windsor.
Pell called 911 just before 2:30 p.m. on Saturday to report finding his son unresponsive in the back of his vehicle. Police arrived to find Pell administering CPR. The child, whose identity has not been released, was pronounced dead at Connecticut Children's Hospital at 3:17 p.m. The temperature at the time was approximately 81 degrees Fahrenheit.
Police stated that it is unclear how long the boy was left in the vehicle, but described it as an "extended period of time." Officers determined that the "climate inside the vehicle was not habitable for the child due to the location of the vehicle and the outside temperature." Preliminary investigation suggests the child's death was heat-related, according to a police press release.
Pell was arrested on Saturday and charged with risk of injury to a minor. He was released on a $1 million bond. During his arraignment on Monday at Hartford Superior Court, a judge ordered that Pell cannot supervise children outside of his household. He was also ordered to comply with safety plans from the Connecticut Department of Children and Families. Additional charges are pending as the investigation continues.
Kevin Pell and his wife, Amy Pell, 39, are co-owners of Pell Family Farms, a business that has been operated by the family since 1930. The farm cultivates strawberries, nursery trees, and Christmas trees. In March, the couple filed for Chapter 12 bankruptcy on behalf of the farm, reporting debts exceeding $1 million against assets estimated between $50,000 and $100,000. The bankruptcy proceedings are ongoing.
Pell's defense attorney stated that he and his family are "completely devastated by this tragic loss" and are "struggling to comprehend this unimaginable heartbreak." The attorney added that the family is requesting privacy and compassion as they grieve and cooperate with the investigation.
The state medical examiner's office is conducting an autopsy to determine the exact cause and manner of the boy's death. Pell is scheduled to return to court for his criminal case on September 10. The couple resides in South Windsor.