Neglected toddler shut in room dies

The parents of a suburban St. Louis toddler who died after being left alone for more than 38 hours in a hot room were behind bars Wednesday on felony child abuse and drug charges, police said.

Peacock and Barnes called 911 after returning to the little boy, but due to undernourishment and hyperthermia caused from extreme heat, he was dead, NBC 5 affiliate KSDK reports.

In addition to the extreme neglect, it was noted that the child was thin and malnourished.

It wasn’t until Sunday morning that the parents checked in on the boy, and found Braydon had died. Peacock also has a pending charge of endangering the welfare of a child for allegedly driving while intoxicated with her child inside the vehicle. The boy was left in the crib for 38 hours, according to police, with no one checking on his well-being.

According to Fox 2 Now, when the toddler’s mother Kathleen found the child was dead she immediately ran to a neighbors house for help.

The mother, who is now pregnant, “explained that she heard Braydon make noise from his room and that she knew she should check on Braydon, but she did not”, the affidavit said.

Both parents Kathleen Peacock and Lucas Barnes told police they had used methamphetamine recently.

Police say both Peacock and Barnes told police they manufactured meth in the home.

Braydon’s parents were believed to be home the entire time he was left unattended.

The methamphetamine lab was found in garbage outside the home, the filing said, and the home was condemned as unfit for habitation.