Court docs: Kansas man accused of leaving 2 toddlers in hot car for over 2 hours, killing 3-year-old
By Chloe Godding
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JOHNSON COUNTY, Kansas (KMBC) — Newly released court documents are shedding light on a 3-year-old’s death after she was found unresponsive in a hot car in Johnson County, Kansas.
Tyler Pence was charged with first-degree murder and aggravated child endangerment after he was accused of leaving the 3-year-old and a younger child in a hot car on Sept. 3, 2025. Pence was arrested in April 2026.
According to an affidavit, Pence called 911 at 5:22 p.m. on Sept. 3 and told dispatchers that his daughter was not breathing.
Deputies responded to eastbound K-10 Highway in Johnson County and found Pence’s 2019 Buick Encore with all the windows down.
A 3-year-old girl was unresponsive in a car seat in the backseat, according to court documents. She was reportedly pale and covered in sweat.
A 2-year-old boy also appeared unresponsive in the backseat. Deputies gently shook him, and he responded lethargically.
Despite efforts by medical crews, the 3-year-old was pronounced dead at 6:12 p.m. The 2-year-old was hospitalized.
Pence told law enforcement officers that he had left his Overland Park residence at 4 p.m. and drove toward Lawrence to look at apartments. He said he and the children had been driving around for 20 minutes, according to court documents. Pence said he did not work that morning and that the children had been with him the whole time.
Deputies noted the vehicle’s air conditioning was turned on low with the fan at full blast. They also noticed that Pence did not appear to be sweating, according to court documents.
Investigators began work to figure out what happened leading up to the girl’s death.
They determined via a weather report that the lowest temperature recorded from 3 p.m. to 5:18 p.m. on Sept. 3 was 85 degrees. A medical examiner said conditions in the vehicle could have reached up to 130 degrees, according to court documents.
Detectives spoke with Pence’s colleagues, who said he showed up for his normal shift, which was 3 p.m. to 1:30 a.m., on Sept. 3. One of those colleagues told detectives that they had told Pence to go home that day because he had been sick, but he said he wanted to start his shift and get everyone organized before leaving.
Surveillance of entrances and exits showed that Pence arrived for work at 2:59 p.m. and got into his vehicle at 5:19 p.m. Surveillance video at a nearby gas station showed Pence purchasing a snack and two kids’ drinks just before that shift, consistent with what was found in the vehicle.
Based on security footage, detectives allege in the affidavit that Pence left the young children in the car, which was not running and had the windows rolled up, for 139 minutes.
Detectives spoke with other parties throughout the investigation, including a babysitter, who said she told Pence she could not watch the kids on Sept. 3. Another person told detectives that at a family gathering on Aug. 29, she told Pence that she wasn’t working at the moment and could watch the kids if he needed. At that time, Pence reportedly wrote down his work schedule, including Sept. 3.
During a formal interview, Pence reportedly told detectives the air conditioning had been out in his vehicle and he had not been able to get it fixed. He said that he had left his place around 4 p.m. to look at apartments.
Detectives said a license plate reader captured him on K-10 at 2:48 p.m. Pence then apologized, according to court documents, and said it could have been 3 p.m. He again said he did not work and was off that day.
The 2-year-old was transferred to a standard pediatrics room in the hospital in October 2025. Court documents did not include the 3-year-old’s exact cause of death.
Pence’s next court hearing is scheduled for July 6.
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