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Toddler dies after being left in car on 106-degree day in California, cops say

A dad was arrested after being accused of leaving his child in a hot car, California cops said.
A dad was arrested after being accused of leaving his child in a hot car, California cops said. Getty Images/iStockphoto

A toddler died after being left in a hot car, California officials said.

On Aug. 18, El Centro officers responded to reports of an unresponsive toddler, according to a police department news release.

Officers got to the scene at approximately 5:30 p.m., and the child was sent to El Centro Regional Medical Center, where they died, police said.

An investigation revealed that the child’s father, 37-year-old Jose Hernandez, left the toddler in the car for a long time in front of their home, officials said.

According to Weather Underground, Aug. 18 had a high temperature of 106 degrees.

Hernandez was arrested on charges related to the death, officials said.

The investigation remains ongoing and anyone with information is asked to call 760-352-2111, police said.

El Centro is about a 210-mile drive southeast from downtown Los Angeles.

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This story was originally published August 19, 2025 at 3:31 PM with the headline "Toddler dies after being left in car on 106-degree day in California, cops say."

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Paloma Chavez
McClatchy DC
Paloma Chavez is a reporter covering real-time news on the West Coast. She has a degree in journalism from the University of Southern California.
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