Northampton County District Attorney Stephen G. Baratta has announced the arrest of Daniel Jeffrey Moist of Nazareth in connection with a 14-monthold child that was located deceased in a vehicle after being left unattended.

On June 11, at approximately 4:17 p.m., Colonial Regional police responded to 4939 Hanoverville Road in Lower Nazareth for a report of an unresponsive 14-month-old child left in a vehicle. Upon arrival, officers made contact with Moist, who was identified as both the owner of the vehicle and the father of the child. Officers found the child deceased in a rear facing car seat in the vehicle. Police also observed a seat mirror hanging from the rear seating of the vehicle, which allows the driver to observe the child in the car seat. Police approached Moist, who was seated in the rear of a Colonial Regional patrol vehicle, when Moist pointed out an object on the floor of the vehicle near his feet. Officers observed this object to be a vaping device, used to ingest THC.

Through further investigation and interviews, police learned that Moist initially had both of his children in his car when he left his house, and was to drop one of his children off at a camp in Pen Argyl and the 14-month-old at a day care in Easton. Police confirmed that Moist dropped his first child at camp and then drove by the day care where his 14-month-old daughter was to be dropped off. Moist stopped at a gas station to purchase beverages before continuing to his place of work, where he arrived at approximately 9:50 a.m.

Moist then sat in his vehicle for approximately 10 minutes before entering work, remaining in the office building until approximately 2:30 p.m., at which time he returned to his vehicle for 10-15 minutes, before heading back into his workplace until about 4 p.m., when he received a call from his wife, who had arrived at the day care and was informed that their 14-month-old daughter had not been dropped off that morning. Moist then returned to his vehicle and discovered his 14-month-old daughter deceased.

He then left the parking lot and traveled toward the nearest hospital, calling 911, when he was advised to pull over so EMS could respond to his location in the parking lot of ID Logistics on Hanoverville Road, and waited for police and EMS. Police learned through investigation that Moist was the parent who routinely dropped the children at day care.

While speaking with Moist, officers observed him to have glassy, bloodshot eyes. A search warrant was obtained and executed to collect and test Moist’s blood on the date of the incident. On June 26, laboratory results indicated the presence of 12.9 ng/ml of Delta-9-THC and 4.2 ng/ml of 11-OH-D9THC, both active components of marijuana. The results also showed 119.4 ng/ml of Carboxy-D9THC, an inactive metabolite of THC.

Moist is charged with one count of murder of the third degree, one count of involuntary manslaughter, one count of endangering the welfare of children, one count of reckless endangerment and one count of leaving a child unattended in a motor vehicle. Moist was arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Susan Hutnik and bail was set at $500,000 unsecured.

The District Attorney urges all drivers to remain vigilant, especially as temperatures rise, and to ensure that no child is left unattended in a vehicle. Temperatures inside a parked vehicle can increase rapidly on hot days, quickly reaching dangerous and potentially life-threatening levels.

As in any criminal case, the fact that an arrest has occurred or a complaint has been filed represents merely an accusation, and any person charged is presumed innocent.

All further inquiries should be directed to the Northampton County Office of the District Attorney.