Fatal Hot Car Incidents Claim Lives of Three Innocent Children in the US Reminding Parents to "Look Before You Lock"

By Lucia Paula , Parent Herald May 31, 09:20 am

Photo: (Photo : Ariana Drehsler/Getty Images)

A string of tragic incidents in Washington, Texas, and Florida have left three young children dead after being left unattended in hot cars. These fatalities have now doubled last year's figures for child hot-car deaths to six, according to Jan Null, a meteorologist who tracks such incidents. The tragic circumstances surrounding the deaths are sparking urgent calls for heightened awareness and preventive measures to protect children from this lethal threat.

Memorial Day Weekend Tragedy: Three Children Dead from Hot Car Incidents

In Washington state, a 1-year-old child was left in a parked vehicle for approximately nine hours while the foster mother was at work. According to CBS, the child was later discovered unresponsive and was pronounced dead despite immediate hospital attention. Local police in Puyallup believe the incident was a tragic oversight by the foster mother, who was unaware that the child was in the car.

Similarly, in Houston, Texas, over Memorial Day weekend, an adult found a 4-year-old boy and a 2-year-old girl unresponsive in a parked car. The boy, unfortunately, succumbed, while the girl is expected to recover. The children had reportedly been playing outside their home before the incident. According to ABC News, down in Florida, another tragedy struck when an 11-month-old child was found unresponsive in a parked vehicle after being left there for three hours while the parents attended church services. The local police are investigating the incident.

As summer approaches, temperatures across the country are rising, creating potentially lethal conditions in unattended vehicles. Vehicles can act like greenhouses, rapidly elevating internal temperatures, even on relatively cooler days. This poses a particular danger to children, whose core temperatures can rise three to five times faster than adults, leading to heatstroke and death at body temperatures of 104 and 107 degrees, respectively.

Simple Habits for Prevention: Teddy Bears and Backseat Checks Can Save Lives

Experts have dubbed late May through summer's end the "hot car death season." According to the U.S. Transportation Department and organizations like Kids and Car Safety, it's a critical time for vigilance. Changes in routine, coupled with fatigue, often contribute to tragic oversights like leaving a child in a vehicle. While child hot car deaths decreased during the pandemic with more people working from home, this year's incidents signal a concerning return to pre-pandemic numbers. In 2020 and 2021, hot car deaths were less than half of the 53 reported in 2019. However, this year, with six deaths already, the figures are troubling.

To combat this deadly issue, experts suggest developing routines that always consider the presence of children. According to NBC, Null recommends practices like placing a teddy bear on the front seat when children are in the back or keeping essential items like briefcases and bag lunches in the backseat, forcing drivers to check the back before leaving the vehicle.

Furthermore, it's crucial to keep vehicles locked at all times, prevent children's access to car keys, and teach children to honk the horn if they get trapped inside a vehicle. Having childcare providers alert parents if the child does not arrive as scheduled can also be a lifesaving practice. Awareness, vigilance, and simple preventive habits are the first line of defense in avoiding such heartbreaking tragedies.