Hearing delayed for foster father charged in infant’s death in hot car

The preliminary hearing for a Wichita man accused of leaving his infant foster daughter in a hot car has been rescheduled to Nov. 13.

Seth M. Jackson is charged with first-degree felony murder in the death of the 10-month-old girl, who succumbed to hyperthermia after she was forgotten in the backseat of his car for up to 2 1/2 hours on July 24. Police have said Jackson and his 26-year-old partner rushed outside their home in the 1500 block of South Topeka and found the infant dead after a crying baby on a television show prompted Jackson to remember the foster daughter had not accompanied him inside.

An arrest affidavit says the men were smoking marijuana while the 10-month-old remained in the car. She was one of six children living in Jackson’s home at the time.

Jackson faces an alternative charge of second-degree reckless but unintentional murder in the case. He had been ordered to appear in court Thursday, but his preliminary hearing was postponed at the defense’s request, according to Sedgwick County District Court records.

At a preliminary hearing, a judge hears testimony and then determines whether a defendant should be bound over for trial on the counts charged.

This story was originally published October 11, 2014 at 9:44 PM with the headline "Hearing delayed for foster father charged in infant’s death in hot car."