2-month-old girl dies after she’s left in hot SUV for 9 hours, California cops say
A 2-month-old girl died after she was left in an SUV outside her home for nine hours, California deputies say.
A family member called 911 shortly after midnight on June 13 after finding the baby girl unconscious inside the SUV parked outside the Santee home, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department said in a June 24 news release.
Deputies said they learned she had been in the car since the family arrived home at about 3 p.m. the day before.
Temperatures in the area were predicted to reach 85 degrees Fahrenheit the day she was left in the SUV.
Rescuers started “life-saving measures” before the girl was taken to a hospital, where she died, deputies said.
The county’s medical examiner will determine the baby’s cause of death, deputies said, adding that they are continuing to investigate.
In California, it is illegal to leave children alone in the car, deputies said.
“It is also illegal to leave your child alone in a car when the engine is running or the key is in the ignition,” deputies said. “Never leave your child alone in a car even for a second to dash into a store or to run a quick errand.”
Hot car deaths
More than 950 children have died in hot cars since 1998, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
“About 40 children a year die from heatstroke, either because they were left or became trapped in a car,” officials said. “That’s about one child every 10 days killed in a hot car.”
Hot car deaths are most common in the summer, but they can happen at any time, according to the administration. The first “vehicular heatstroke” of the year typically happens in March.
“Leaving a window open is not enough - temperatures inside the car can rise almost 20 degrees Fahrenheit within the first 10 minutes, even with a window cracked open,” the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.
If you see a child alone in a vehicle, officials said you should make sure the child is responsive and if not, immediately call 911.
This story was originally published June 25, 2024 at 12:44 PM with the headline "2-month-old girl dies after she’s left in hot SUV for 9 hours, California cops say."
