LAKELAND, FL – A Florida man was sentenced to 20 years in prison after a tragic incident where his 18-month-old daughter died after being left in a hot car. Joel Rondon, 34, admitted guilt to aggravated manslaughter, marking a grim conclusion to a heartbreaking case that unfolded after the Fourth of July last year.

During sentencing, Judge Jalal Harb admonished Rondon, highlighting the father’s inexplicable omission. Despite returning to the vehicle for cigarettes, Rondon failed to notice his child, inexplicably left behind overnight. Rondon, who was found to have consumed methamphetamine, marijuana, and alcohol, expressed remorse, saying he felt “shattered and scarred” by his daughter’s death.

His wife, Jazmine Rondon, 34, faces similar charges of aggravated manslaughter and awaits trial. The couple’s ordeal began after celebrating Independence Day in Lakeland with their three young children.

According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, the family arrived home around 3 a.m. on July 5, 2023. Both parents had been drinking alcohol and using marijuana during the party.

Upon their return from the party, Jazmine Rondon told her husband to bring the baby inside while she took their other two children. Joel Rondon went inside the house and later found the car doors closed, assuming his wife had removed their daughter.

Neither parent verified the child’s whereabouts until the next morning. Around 11 a.m., Joel Rondon, while preparing for work, realized the toddler was missing after asking one of his older children to check on her. He discovered her unresponsive in the sweltering vehicle, leading to a frantic attempt to save her life at Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center.

Medical staff determined the toddler’s temperature reached a fatal level of 104.4 degrees Fahrenheit. Despite efforts to revive her, later that day the girl was pronounced dead. Sheriff Grady Judd described her death as a torturous ordeal and confirmed the day’s heat index reached 105 degrees Fahrenheit.

On the evening of July 5, the couple underwent drug testing. Seventeen hours post-party, both still tested positive for various substances. An autopsy concluded the child’s death was caused by hyperthermia due to being left in a car and was ruled a homicide. Following the investigation, the couple was taken into custody and now face the long-lasting consequences of that fateful night.