Nearly four months after 22-month-old Grayson Pedigo lost his life, police in Georgia have arrested his parents on murder charges. The toddler died while sitting in a car seat inside his family’s Dalton home. His mother, Kirsten Schmitt, 26, and father, Anthony Pedigo, 30, were reportedly home at the time of their son’s death, and many are wondering why the toddler was in his car seat to begin with.
Grayson’s parents called 911 on June 5, 2025, when they reportedly found him unresponsive in his car seat. By the time he got to a hospital, Grayson had died, WTVC reported. When speaking with investigators, Schmitt and Pedigo allegedly admitted to strapping Grayson into a car seat regularly to watch TV. On the day her son died, Schmitt said she and the toddler watched TV while Pedigo napped in another room. The mother left her son alone for 30 to 40 minutes to wake up his father. When they returned, Grayson was unresponsive.
It took months for an arrest, but Bruce Frazier with the City of Dalton, has told WTVC why.
“The police department’s been in consultation with our district attorney’s office throughout the entire process, and last week, specifically on Friday, they obtained warrants for the arrest of these parents,” he said.
Since her son’s death, Schmitt regularly posts on social media about Grayson. She’s clearly heartbroken about the loss of her baby boy.
“Tomorrow’s gonna be a really hard day you not being here mommy and daddy miss you so much and love you happy heavenly birthday, handsome boy I know it’s not today is tomorrow,” she shared in a post on August 24. “It’s already hard. I love you.”
Sadly, no amount of missing him will bring the toddler back. According to WTVC, police said his injuries indicate he died with the seat belt from his car seat wrapped around his neck.
Vanderbilt University Medical Center warns that car seats are for vehicles only and not for use in the home.
“Car seats remain a vital safety feature when used in the car and can reduce the child’s risk of injury during a car crash. It is important to continue to use the car seat when your vehicle is in motion but also remember to remove your child from the seat when leaving the car,” the medical center notes on its website.
Schmitt and Pedigo each face charges of second-degree murder and second-degree cruelty to children, per WTVC.
