Los Angeles Father Pleads Not Guilty After Child Found Dead in Vehicle

A Los Angeles County father has pleaded not guilty to a felony charge of child abuse resulting in death after his 1-year-old daughter was discovered unresponsive inside a vehicle.

On the afternoon of Sept. 9, deputies from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department were dispatched to a residential neighborhood on Chanson Drive in View Park, Los Angeles County, California, United States. When they arrived, they found a 1-year-old girl inside a vehicle who was not breathing. Emergency responders pronounced the child dead at the scene.

Following the discovery, the child’s father, Edwin Johnson, a resident of View Park, was taken into custody. He was arrested on suspicion of involuntary manslaughter and child neglect. Johnson later appeared in court on Monday, where he entered a plea of not guilty to a felony count of child abuse resulting in death.

The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s office has deferred its determination of the cause of death. This means the official ruling on how the child died has not yet been finalized and remains under review.

Johnson is scheduled to return to court on Nov. 6. At that time, a date is expected to be set for a preliminary hearing to decide whether sufficient evidence exists for the case to proceed to trial.

Outside the courthouse, Johnson’s defense attorney, Jacob Glucksman, stated that his client is receiving support from family and friends. He added that Johnson is currently grieving and has requested privacy during the legal proceedings.

The case has drawn significant attention because of the tragic circumstances and the serious charges involved. Authorities have confirmed that the investigation remains active while officials continue to review evidence and await the final determination from the Medical Examiner.