Authorities in North Carolina on Thursday identified the 3-year-old boy found dead earlier this month on the front porch of a home after he wandered outside of the home during a freezing night.
Authorities said there were no signs of trauma on Landyn Melton’s body. A toxicology report is due in two weeks.
On March 15, police were alerted by a driver who passed the Burke County home and saw the boy’s body. Burke County is outside Charlotte.
When the first deputy arrived, the temperature was in the mid-20s, MyFox8.com reported. Overnight temperatures dipped to below zero.
Investigators said they found the inside door of the home open when they arrived , but the storm door most likely closed at some point after the child got out. The mother and boyfriend were asleep at the time and did not know what happened, deputies told the station.
“When you come to a tragic situation like this, it is always heartbreaking for everybody involved, including the officers investigating the case, so our prayers go out to all the families,” Burke County Sheriff Steve Whisenant said.
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