Father faces homicide, abuse charges in death of daughter left in hot car

The Mohave County attorney's office has decided criminal charges are appropriate in the case of a Kingman, Ariz., man whose 2½-year-old daughter died when left unattended in his vehicle about five hours.

Deputy County Attorney Victoria Stazio said she will pursue negligent homicide and negligent child abuse charges in the case she is preparing against George Lyman, 21.

Kingman police Lt. Rusty Cooper said Lyman parked his car at his home midmorning Sept. 20 and went inside, leaving Serenity Lyman in the back seat. It was late afternoon when he remembered and found Serenity in the car, unresponsive. The baby was rushed to a hospital where she was pronounced dead.

Cooper said officials estimate the temperature inside the vehicle exceeded 115 degrees.