LAS VEGAS -- A Valley father whose 4-year-old son was found dead in a hot car asked the public to take a closer look before judging his family.

Jason Rimer's body was found Monday morning, after 17 hours of being left in a car.

Father Stan Rimer said he and his wife have done a wonderful job raising eight kids, until now.

He said this is a tragedy, and they hope the public and the courts understand that's all it was -- a tragic mistake.

“Playful and very friendly, and he loved music and the church hymns … and just loved being around his family,” said family friend Michael Gonzalez.

Jason was forgotten Sunday afternoon in the family's SUV after a church outing.

Stan Rimer talked to radio station KDWN about what happened.

The station asked him how his family lost track of a mentally disabled 4-year-old.

“No one ever said anybody was missing or anything. We usually keep Sundays a quiet day, and one got away from us,” Rimer said.

He was then asked how the boy was overlooked at dinner time.

“They usually go in and grab for themselves, and nobody ever mentioned Jason not coming to the table,” Rimer said.

In the family of eight, Rimer said the older brother usually watches out for the younger ones.

“He generally will tell us anything that's wrong. I trusted that he saw all them. And it never crossed my mind we had one dying in the car,” Rimer said.

Rimer said they're all devastated, and they hope people understand no one intended for this to happen.

“I want everybody to look at all the good things that we've done for 21 years for our kids,” he said.

There were at least three calls to Child Protective Services before this incident.

The family said they believe those were from their estranged daughter.

The children, until now, had never been taken out of the home.

So far, no charges have been filed against the parents.

District attorney David Roger said according to state law, prosecutors have to prove someone intentionally placed a child in harm’s way.

That's why, in many of these cases, he said parents are not charged with neglect.

But he said investigators will be looking into why the child was left for 17 hours.

“There's nothing more tragic than the death of a young child. And it's a very emotional issue for the public, but we're stuck with what the law requires,” Roger said.

Four of the family's children are at Child Haven.

The Rimers will be in family court at 9 a.m. Wednesday to see if they can get their boys back.