Man whose child died in car gets 5 years probation

FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) — A Fort Myers man whose 18-month-old daughter died after he accidentally left her in his car has been sentenced to five years probation.

Prosecutors said Reginald McKinnon pleaded guilty Thursday to leaving his child unattended in a car. A judge also ordered him to serve 20 community service hours talking to parenting classes about what happened.

Police said McKinnon picked up his daughter Payton at daycare on the morning of March 8, 2009, took her to a doctor’s appointment and then drove to his job at a telecommunications company at about 11 a.m.

He didn’t know he’d left her in the back seat of his Ford Explorer until he came out of work and found her at about 3 p.m.