Man left inside hot vehicle dies, caregiver charged with involuntary manslaughter

A janitor and caregiver is charged with involuntary manslaughter after deputies say the man he cared for was left inside a hot vehicle for much of the day. Roger Lee Inge Jr., 55, of Warrenton, N.C., is charged with involuntary manslaughter in the death of 22-year-old Dontarious Batts, according to the Johnston County Sheriff's Office. According to investigators, Inge was employed by Universal Health Care as a caregiver for Batts, who has special needs and was unable to care for himself. 

Inge works as a janitor at Cleveland High School and told investigators he took Batts to work with him Tuesday morning. Inge said he left Batts inside his vehicle with the windows up and the engine off between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. 

Inge said he checked on Batts at 10 a.m., and he was fine. Inge returned to work, leaving Batts inside the vehicle until 4:17 p.m., investigators said. When Inge returned to the vehicle, he said Batts was dead. 

Inge said he left the school and called 911. The 911 operator asked Inge to pull over at a fire station on Cleveland Road in Clayton, and deputies responded to find Batts dead inside the vehicle. Inge was charged with involuntary manslaughter and is being held under a $35,000 bond.

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Man left inside hot vehicle dies, caregiver charged with involuntary manslaughter