5-year-old in foster care dies after being left in car for ‘hours,’ Nebraska cops say
A 5-year-old boy died after being left in an unattended car “for an extended period of time,” Nebraska police say.
Officers in Omaha were called to a parking lot around 5:10 p.m. Wednesday, July 10, for a report of an “unresponsive child,” according to a news release.
Police said the 5-year-old was found inside a vehicle and was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
It’s unclear exactly how long the boy had been left in the car, but police told KETV and WOWT it was for “hours.”
The boy, who has not been publicly identified, had been in foster care, police told the news outlets.
July 10 was the hottest day in the month so far in Omaha, with temperatures reaching 89 degrees, according to the National Weather Service.
No charges have been filed in the boy’s death, as a cause of death has not yet been determined, KMTV reported.
Police urged anyone with information to contact Omaha Crime Stoppers at 402-444-STOP.
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 July 11, 2024 at 7:16 AM with the headline "5-year-old in foster care dies after being left in car for ‘hours,’ Nebraska cops say."