Special Needs Man Dies After Allegedly Being Left In Hot Car By Caretaker

August 24, 2024
Dontarious Batts was in his mid-twenties and non-verbal.
A North Carolina man named Dontarius Batts, in his mid-twenties with special needs, has died after allegedly being left in a hot car by his caretaker for several hours on Aug. 20. According to police reports, police were called at around 5 P.M. at the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office. They were contacted by 55-year-old Rogers Lee Inge Jr., Batts’ caretaker, who claimed that he was responsible for the death of a person under his care.
After peacefully being taken in by police, Inge — who is an employee at Universal Health Care and was charged with taking care of Batts — told arresting officers that he brought Batts to work with him at his second job at the Cleveland High School.
He reportedly continued to tell police that he left Batts — who is both autistic and non-verbal — in the car while he went to do his janitorial duties with the windows up and the engine turned off at 8 A.M. He checked on him once at 10, and he was allegedly alive at the time. 
Inge returned to his car after completing his day of work at 4:17 P.M. and found that Batts had died. 
Inge was captured saying in the original 911 call, “It’s my fault. I didn’t think it was that hot today. I didn’t check on him. I forgot. I was working.” 
Inge is being held at Johnston County jail with a bond of less than $35,000, and he’s been released from his job at the school. 
According to People, the temperature at the time of the incident was 81 degrees and sunny at the high of the day. However, the National Weather Service warned that the inside of a vehicle parked in the sun can get up to 50 degrees higher than the listed outdoor temperature. 
Batts’ sisters Tierra and Tiquana started a GoFundMe in Batts’ name. It has since raised over $2,500.
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