San Luis Obispo County District Attorney Dan Dow told KSBY that he can't speak on the investigation into the death of a 6-year-old boy in Paso Robles, but did share insight into how similar cases are handled.
"The district attorney's office is working closely with Paso Robles Police Department detectives investigating the death — tragic death — of a young child in Paso Robles occurring on Saturday," said Dow. "There has been a person identified and who's been arrested by the police department, and our office is now working with investigators to determine what, if any, appropriate charges we may file."
Dow says that instances where a child dies from being left in a car would likely fall under child abuse.
"Child abuse can be as simple as discipline — that there is too much discipline, physical discipline, corporal punishment," said Dow. "But that would be if it's a very minor injury."
Dow added that someone convicted of intentional child abuse that leads to the child's death can face 25 years to life in prison, or life without the possibility of parole.
While no charges have been filed in Saturday's incident yet, Dow says if they are, the investigation will be handled like any other death investigation.
He says they'll also be working closely with the sheriff's coroner's office.
"We'll be looking at all the information that the investigating agency gathers and any that our bureau of investigation is able to gather as well," said Dow. "We'll look at the totality of it to determine exactly what crime we believe occurred, if any, and then file the appropriate charges based on the evidence."
