No charges filed against teacher after leaving infant relative in hot car, officials say

Trenton Cason-Collins was 6-months-old

DELTONA, Fla. – The state attorney will not file charges against Chanda Larson in the case of her 6-month-old cousin being inadvertently left in a hot car in September 2015.

The incident occurred when Trenton Cason-Collins was apparently left in the back of Larson’s SUV 7:30 a.m. to 3:50 p.m., deputies said.

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Trenton was a relative of Larson’s and had been placed in her care six weeks before the incident, deputies said.

Larson, who was a teacher at Deltona Middle School, would normally drop Trenton off at La Petite Academy after she dropped off her son and Trenton’s sister to the bus stop before she would go to work at Deltona Middle School, deputies said.

The day of the incident Collins was left in the back of the SUV form 7:30 a.m. to 3:50 p.m., according to the deputies.

“There is nothing to indicate that Ms. Larson committed an intentional act that caused the death of or that she procured his death by other means,” a memo issued by the State Attorney’s Office said.

“Ms. Larson’s actions do not rise to the level of egregious conduct demonstrating a gross or flagrant violation of her duties to [redacted],” the memo continued.

Trenton’s parents told News 6 in September, "You don't expect something like this to happen to you, and when it does, you can't prepare for it," said Alycyia Cason, the baby's mother.

She told News 6 that Larson was helping her out and helping her get back on her feet by taking care of Trenton.

"I came to give my son a teddy bear ... and give him one last goodbye," Cason told News 6 at the school's parking lot, where a memorial is located. She left a note for him that read, "Trenton, we will always love you, and you will always be in our hearts. Love you, mommy and daddy."

"He was a very good kid," said the baby's father, Brian Joseph Collins. "He always smiled. He was active, always healthy, a loving child. We know it was an accident."