Oakland Park Day Care Workers Questioned After Toddler Died In Hot Van

FORT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) - A two-year-old boy who was found dead in a van outside an Oakland Park daycare was there for hours before he was discovered.

The Broward Sheriff's Office said it was another child who spotted Noah Sneed in the locked van at Ceressa's Daycare & Preschool, at 3140 NW 21st Avenue, and alerted daycare workers.

When Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue arrived the little boy was dead. Sheriff's investigators are now trying to determine how this tragedy happened.

"The boy was transported to this facility inside the van. What happened once they arrived here is under investigation. At this point, we do not know why the boy remained inside the vehicle. He ultimately succumbed to the environment inside the van," said sheriff's spokeswoman Keyla Concepcion.

The temperature inside the van, experts said, could have reached 135 degrees. According to a child safety advocacy group "Kids in Cars" this is the fourth Florida child to die in this manner this year.

Ceressa's Daycare and Preschool has been shut down while a criminal investigation takes place. Nobody was at the building on Tuesday, and no one answers the number painted on the front.

Investigators are interviewing employees and other witnesses to figure out what happened in the time the child was picked up in the van to when his body was found inside

According to the sheriff's office, Sneed lived at the Broward Partnership for the homeless. They released this statement to CBS4.

"We are saddened by the situation and are providing the mother and family with the appropriate services.....We extend our thoughts and prayers to the mother and her family during this difficult time," said Ryon Coote, Chief Development Officer at the Broward Partnership.

Due to privacy laws, he could not comment further on any other specifics.

According to county records, the daycare's most recent inspection was in April, which they passed. At the time of the inspection, 17 children and five staff members were present.

The Medical Examiner's Office is conducting an autopsy to determine Sneed's cause of death.

Angela Mathis says she is a close personal friend of Noah Sneed's mom.

Mathis took to social media to raise money for Sneed's family by setting up a A GoFundMe page.

"It was horrific," said Mathis. "They towed the van with the tarp still on the car."

County licensing regulators will be looking at the day care's transportation log.

According to state regulations, all children transported to daycare need to be logged in.

Time of arrival and departures with their names must be logged as well.

Once the checklist is complete, the driver is supposed to do a sweep to make sure no child is left behind.

Then there is supposed to be a second sweep by another day care worker.

On Tuesday night, relatives, friends and the parents of Noah gathered to remember the child at a vigil.

"I am missing my baby," said Chanese Sneed, Noah's mother. "He is the happiest thing ever. I want justice for my baby, please."

Noah's father Tony Bell is also seeking justice. He remembers a little boy who all say had a real personality.

"Justice, that's it," said Bell. "[It's a] sad time for me…sad time."