Dalton Parents Charged After Toddler Found Dead

In Dalton, Georgia, parents Kirsten Schmitt (26) and Anthony Pedigo (30) were arrested and charged with second-degree murder and second-degree cruelty to children after their 22-month-old son, Grayson Pedigo, was found unresponsive on June 5 while buckled into a car seat on the living room floor and later pronounced dead at a hospital. Police say the couple routinely strapped Grayson into the car seat and left him on the living room floor while watching television, and Schmitt and Pedigo told investigators they had been in a bedroom for about 30 to 40 minutes before finding him unresponsive. Investigators said the child's injuries appeared consistent with the seat belt and buckle being around his neck. Authorities transported Grayson to a hospital after a 911 call, where he was pronounced dead. The case has been under investigation since June, and following consultation with the district attorney last week, arrest warrants were issued and served without incident; the couple now face prosecution as the investigation continues.