Gillette Man Denies Child Endangerment Charge

A 27-year-old Gillette man accused of leaving his infant son locked in a hot truck all day has pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor child endangerment.

The Gillette News Record record reports that an attorney for Kaleb Layton Laatsch entered the plea on behalf of his client Friday.

Prosecutors say Laatsch forgot to drop his 9-month-old son at day care before work August 16 and left the boy locked in the truck with the windows rolled up for more than eight hours. Court records say Laatsch found his son gurgling and unresponsive after work.

The boy's body temperature had reached 108 degrees, and the infant still requires 24-hour care and has limited brain function.

Police say Laatsch told them he doesn't know why he accidentally left the boy in the truck.