A one year old boy has died after being left in a car for more than eight hours when temperatures reached 34°C. His mother said that she thought she had dropped him off at daycare and went to work. The unidentified one-year-old is believed to be the 24th child to have died in similar circumstances across the US.
His body was discovered in a car park at Pembroke Pines, Florida, and efforts to resuscitate him failed. Police and fire crews said they were called at around 5pm but were unable to help the boy who was 17 months old. An incident report by the Florida Department of Children and Families said: ‘On July 13, 2018, the department received a report regarding the death of one-year-old [name redacted] who was pronounced deceased after he was accidentally left in a car all day while his mother was working.
‘At the time of the incident, the family had been residing with friends while their house was being tented, and the mother who had been under a lot of stress, was taking a different route to work. ‘After finishing her day, [the mother] proceeded to [the boy’s] daycare, where she believed she dropped him off that morning.
‘Upon being informed that [he] had never arrived at the facility, [she] began to realize what had occured. ‘[She] drove back to the hospital where she worked and medical staff began to administer resuscitation efforts. [The boy] was transported to a larger hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.’ Pembroke Pines said in a statement: ‘Leaving a child inside a car is a year-long hazard, but it is especially deadly during the summer months when temperatures can climb above 100 degrees within minutes. ‘Always double check your vehicle after you park for loved ones or pets. ‘Our prayers go out to the deceased and their family during this difficult time.’ No charges have yet been brought in relation to the boy’s death.
Metro