ATHENS, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – A tragic summer day in August of 2024 ended with the death of a three-year-old boy left strapped in a car seat in a hot SUV with the windows rolled up for over eight hours. His father, 36-year-old Chad Martin of Athens, has avoided immediate jail time so far.

Martin was sentenced Thursday, March 27th in Kalamazoo County Circuit Court to nine months in jail and three years of probation for the death of his son, who was discovered lifeless in the backseat of Martin’s vehicle on August 13, 2024 after temperatures outside of the vehicle had climbed above 80 degrees.

Judge postpones jail time.

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But in a controversial move, the Kalamazoo County Circuit Court judge delayed Martin’s jail time until a status hearing in December. According to WWMT-News Channel 3, the decision will hinge on Martin’s progress while on probation, leaving open the possibility that he may never serve a day behind bars.

According to authorities, Martin dropped off his daughter at her daycare but forgot that his son was still in the backseat. After dropping off his daughter, Martin drove to his job at a plant in Brady Township around 6:40 a.m. and left work at 3:00 p.m. He then stopped at Family Fare in Vicksburg. He returned to his SUV and discovered his son still buckled into a rear-facing car seat.

Grieving mother confronts Martin at sentencing.

The child had died from prolonged heat exhaustion. Martin was charged in November 2024 and pleaded guilty in January 2025 to one count of leaving a child in a vehicle causing death which is a felony punishable by up to 15 years.

According to Up North Live, the child’s mother, Samantha Brown, said at Martin’s sentencing, “You will never know the true depth of the pain you caused. There is no justice for my son or daughter or for me.”

During sentencing, Martin had said, “The day that happened was the worst day of my life. I deserve whatever punishment I get.”

But that punishment, at least from the criminal justice system, may never come.