Handcuffs used during police arrest.
Handcuffs used during police arrest.

North Carolina Caregiver Charged with Involuntary Manslaughter After Leaving Nonverbal Man with Autism in Hot Car

Posted by
1 min read
August 23, 2024

CLAYTON, NC — A North Carolina caregiver has been charged with involuntary manslaughter after admitting he left a nonverbal man with autism in a hot car while he worked a second job as a school janitor, resulting in the man’s death. The Johnston County Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest of Rogers Lee Inge Jr., 55, on Tuesday in connection with the death of 22-year-old Dontarius Batts.

The tragic incident unfolded on Tuesday morning when Inge left Batts in his car in the parking lot of Cleveland High School in Clayton, located nearly 20 miles southeast of Raleigh. According to the Sheriff’s Office, Inge left Batts in the vehicle at 8 a.m. while he began his janitorial shift at the school.

Inge checked on Batts at approximately 10 a.m., telling police later that “he was fine.” However, when Inge returned to his vehicle at the end of his shift, over six hours later at 4:17 p.m., Batts was found unresponsive and pronounced dead at the scene.

Inge left the school and called 911 at 4:43 p.m., reportedly admitting during the call that “he was responsible for the death of an individual who was in his vehicle,” according to officials.

The Johnston County Sheriff’s Office has charged Inge with involuntary manslaughter as the investigation into the circumstances surrounding Batts’ death continues. The case has drawn significant attention due to the vulnerabilities of Batts, who was nonverbal and had autism, and the tragic consequences of leaving him unattended in the hot car.

Phil Stilton

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.

Facebook

Don't Miss