Sidney Deal Wouldn’t Break Car Windows To Save Daughter From Hot Car
A disturbing report out of Las Vegas has taken national headlines by storm. Earlier this month, a 21-month-old little girl named Sayah Deal lost her life after her father, 27-year-old Sidney Deal, reportedly refused to break his car window to rescue her from a hot car. Deal was taken into custody on charges of child abuse, neglect, or endangerment resulting in substantial bodily harm.
Authorities claim that Deal accidentally locked his keys inside of his car, endangering his child. When he was told to break the vehicle’s windows to help the little girl, he said the air conditioning was on, and he didn’t want to damage his car.
“He asked the officers to help him,” Deal’s mother, Artavia Wilson, told KLAS. “My son was not negligent. The way he handled it was not that he cared more about the car. He thought his daughter was in air [conditioning].”
According to a report made by PEOPLE, Deal realized his mistake and was able to grab the attention of a patrol car passing by. The officers reportedly offered to break the windows or contact a tow truck, but Sidney Deal said no. He called his brother instead.
The brother arrived at the scene and offered to “punch out the window.” Still, Deal reportedly “stopped him and said he wanted to wait for a tow truck” and “insisted he not damage his new vehicle, stating he had just bought the car and did not have the money to repair a broken window.” Additionally, Deal’s girlfriend was made aware of the baby being locked in the vehicle and called a tow truck, but Sidney Deal allegedly told her that he didn’t approve of the quoted price. It wouldn’t have made much difference for Sayah Deal because, by that time, the little girl had already died.
Officers wrote in their reports that when they arrived, Sayah was still alive because they could see her breathing. However, Deal was reportedly “adamant” that the officers shouldn’t damage his car. After exhausting all other efforts, the officers broke the window without his permission.
“The cops got out and assisted him with the car, and then when he said the air was on, they said, ‘Oh, OK,’ — a locksmith was coming,” Deal’s mother said. “My son is a great father … He works. He is a very responsible young man.”
“It is a tragic event,” said Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officer Larry Hadfield. “Police encourage parents and friends to not leave kids unattended in vehicles. This is one of those circumstances that could have been prevented.”
It’s believed that Sayah Deal was in the vehicle for over an hour.
“If you loved and provided for your daughter so much, why did you let her die?” said Sayah’s mother, 28-year-old Mariah Coleman. “He had no remorse in his mugshot. My baby is gone, and I need somebody to do time.”
According to the Clark County Department of Family Services, since 2018, there have been five reports of child abuse against Sidney Deal. “CPS received three allegations of neglect in July and September 2018, one allegation in Jan. 2019 and a final allegation of abuse in June 2020,” reported FOX 5 KVVU. The documents don’t detail the allegations, but they show that CPS didn’t find any evidence to substantiate the claims. Sidney Deal will return to court on December 3, 2020.
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