The father of a child who died after becoming trapped in a hot car at the family’s Flint home this past summer has been sentenced to 15 years probation in a Smith County courtroom Monday morning. 

Russell Lindstrom, 34, was sentenced by State Judge Kerry Russell Monday as part of a plea deal entered in Russell’s court last month. 

Smith County District Attorney Matt Bingham said the sentences  on the two felony counts of child endangerment were the maximum probations for both charges as related to the death of 4-year-old Bella Rose and injuries to a younger daughter. 

On June 12, Smith County Sheriff deputies responding to a home in the Flint area found Bella unresponsive from exposure to extreme temperatures after climbing into a pickup in the family driveway with her 3-year-old sister Zoey. 

Bella died after being transported to a local hospital and Zoey recovered.

Lindstrom said in previous stories it was not a case of bad parenting, but losing sight of his children for a short time, which had grave results.