Baby dies in hot car when parent forgets to drop child at day care, Louisiana cops say
A 6-month-old died after being forgotten for hours in the back of a car, Louisiana deputies told news outlets.
The baby was found dead at about 5:45 p.m. Tuesday, July 30, in Baton Rouge, WAFB reported, citing the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies said the child’s parent forgot to drop the baby off at day care, inadvertently leaving the child in the back seat while they went to work, according to WVLA.
The parent “went to pick the baby up from daycare and realized that the baby was still in the car,” deputies told the station.
Temperatures soared to 97 degrees Tuesday with a low of 79 degrees, according to AccuWeather. The National Weather Service also issued a heat advisory for much of southeastern Louisiana on Wednesday and warned of “heat index values up to 112” degrees.
No arrests have been made in connection with the child’s death, and it’s unclear if charges will be filed, pending autopsy results, WBRZ reported.
McClatchy News reached out to the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office for more information Wednesday and was awaiting a response.
Authorities said the investigation is ongoing.
Hot car deaths in the U.S.
Hot car deaths are most common in the summer, but they can happen at any time, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The first “vehicular heatstroke” of the year typically happens in March.
“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.”
“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,” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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 31, 2024 at 10:11 AM with the headline "Baby dies in hot car when parent forgets to drop child at day care, Louisiana cops say."