Announcement

**Pathfinder** · August 20, 2010, 12:22 PM

Re: 2-year-old boy from Canada dies after being left in hot SUV in Texas

June 08, 2010

Summer's heat requires extra car safety vigilance

There are a lot of great things about summer and kids; baseball, swimming, fireflies, and ice cream come to my mind, and the list certainly doesn't end there. But summer's heat also brings potential danger to our nation's children.

Boulder City, Nevada, takes hyperthermia seriously
One of those dangers is hyperthermia, or heat stroke, from being left unattended in a parked vehicle.
DOT data indicates that hyperthermia kills at least 27 children every year. That makes it the #1 non-crash vehicle-related cause of death for of our nation's kids.

According to a San Francisco State University fact sheet, 9 children have already died in 2010, and summer hasn't even heated up yet.
On a day when the temperature outside is 86 degrees, the temperature inside a car can quickly reach 135 or even 150 degrees! And research indicates that leaving the windows open a crack does little to reduce this oven effect.
Now, you may be wondering, "Who would leave a child unattended in a hot car?" Or "Who would let a child play unattended in a hot car?"

Research from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration suggests those may be the wrong questions. Because these are not deliberate decisions. For example:

A stressed parent forgets to drop a quietly sleeping baby at daycare and parks at his or her office building.
A curious kid finds a way to crawl into a car is overcome by hyperthermia before thinking to get out.
A caregiver stops at a grocery store or to run a quick errand and lingers one or two fatal minutes.

What we recognize is that those people are very much like ourselves. And, to get a sense of what I'm talking about, I urge you to read the 2010 Pulitzer Prize-winning feature article, "Fatal Distraction: Forgetting a Child in the Back Seat of a Car is a Horrifying Mistake," by The Washington Post's Gene Weingarten.
Look, the fact is these are accidents. But they are deadly and they are entirely preventable.

There are two very simple steps to prevent these tragedies:

Don't leave a child unattended in a vehicle--whether the windows are open or closed, whether the air conditioner is running or not. Do not. Ever.
Teach your children that a car is not a place to play.

But NHTSA has a more extensive list of Safety Tips to Prevent Hyperthermia, and because this is so gravely important, I'm including them below. Please take them to heart, and once you've done that, please share them.
Together, we can keep America's children safe.

NHTSA: Safety Tips to Prevent Hyperthermia

Never leave a child unattended in a vehicle.
Do not let your children play in an unattended vehicle. Teach them that a vehicle is not a play area.
Never leave infants or children in a parked vehicle, even if the windows are partially open or with the engine running and the air conditioning on.
Make a habit of looking in the vehicle - front and back - before locking the door and walking away.
If you are bringing your child to daycare, and normally it's your spouse or partner who brings them, have your spouse or partner call you to make sure everything went according to plan.
Ask your childcare provider to call you if your child does not show up for childcare. Do things to remind yourself that a child is in the vehicle, such as:
Writing yourself a note and putting the note where you will see it when you leave the vehicle;

Placing your purse, briefcase or something else you need in the back seat so that you will have to check the back seat when you leave the vehicle; or

Keeping an object in the car seat, such as a stuffed toy. When the child is buckled in, place the object where the driver will notice it when he or she is leaving the vehicle.
Always lock vehicle doors and trunks and keep keys out of children's reach. If a child is missing, check the vehicle first, including the trunk.
If you see a child alone in a hot vehicle, call the police. If they are in distress due to heat, get them out as quickly as possible. Warning signs may include: red, hot, and moist or dry skin, no sweating, a strong rapid pulse or a slow weak pulse, nausea or acting strangely. Cool the child rapidly. Call 911 or your local emergency number immediately.

For further safety information, visit www.nhtsa.gov/KeepingKidsSafe.

http://fastlane.dot.gov/2010/06/summer-heat-requires-car-safety-vigilance.html

**Pathfinder** · August 25, 2010, 02:13 PM

Another baby dies after being left in hot vehicule in Texas

4-month-old dies in car in Lufkin parking lot

By Whitney Grunder - email
LUFKIN, TX (KTRE) - An infant child was found dead in a Lufkin business parking lot around 3:30 p.m. Tuesday afternoon.

According to Lufkin Police Det. JB Smith, the baby girl, who was approximately four months old, was in a car in the parking lot of Story-Wright Printing & Office Supply at 222 Shepherd Ave.

"A better part of the day, a baby was left in the car," said Det. Smith.

Smith said police learned of the death when someone was heard making commotion at the business, which is just across the street of the Lufkin Police Department.

Investigators haven't released many details except that the death is believed to have been an accident that was heat-related. However, an autopsy will be conducted on the body.

Cathie Repp works downtown as a registered medical assistant and has four kids of her own.

"It's really sad. It's just horrible for the family, for the momma, for the baby," said Repp.

"I don't see how it could be an accident. How do you leave a four month old in a car as hot as its been this summer?" said Josh Lee, a father and a trainer at Synergy Fitness.

.../

404 / Page Not Found

http://www.wafb.com/Global/story.asp?S=13037414

**Pathfinder** · September 16, 2010, 10:44 PM

Another baby dies after being left in hot vehicule

Toddler dies after being left in hot van while mom at work

by Associated Press
wwltv.com
Posted on September 16, 2010 at 11:55 AM

BILOXI, Miss. -- Harrison County Coroner Gary Hargrove says an 18-month-old girl left in a van for seven hours died of hyperthermia.

Hargrove tells The Sun Herald that the toddler, identified as Esther Tsang, was rushed to Biloxi Regional Medical Center after 5 p.m. Tuesday and pronounced dead...

Full text: http://www.wwltv.com/news/local/Todd...103061074.html

**Pathfinder** · June 1, 2011, 08:47 AM

Re: Another baby dies after being left in hot vehicule

Toddler dies after being left in a car for 8 hours

Last Update: 5/31 11:02 pm

New Orleans - A three-year old boy has died after being locked in a vehicle for at least eight hours, according to police.

The child was discovered inside the vehicle in the 600 block of S. Scott Street in Mid-City.

Police say around 8am, the toddler was supposed to be taken to daycare by his godmother, 23 year-old Genee' Brumfield.

More...

404 / Page Not Found

http://www.fox8live.com/content/news/featured/story/Toddler-dies-after-being-left-in-a-car-for-8-hours/JltRyp2FvEKt54ScEs7n2w.cspx

**Pathfinder** · June 26, 2011, 03:48 PM

Re: Another baby dies after being left in hot vehicle

South Carolina

Police: Columbia baby dies after being left in car

Updated: Jun 20, 2011 1:04 PM CDT

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - Columbia police think a 9-month-old baby boy died after being left in a car outside his home.

Police say the boy's relatives found him in the car Sunday afternoon. He was taken by ambulance to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Richland County Coroner Gary Watts says Jayden Davis died of overheating. Police say the boy was in the car for four hours.

More...

http://www.abcnews4.com/Global/story.asp?S=14938902

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Georgia

Clayton County News 6:54 p.m. Friday, June 24, 2011

Day care center has history of inspection problems

By Craig Schneider and Tammy Joyner
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Excerpt:

Jazmin Green, 2, died Monday outside Marlo's Magnificent Early Learning Center in Jonesboro. Police say she was left in a van after a field trip to a Chuck E. Cheese restaurant. Fallings, 41, her 23-year-old daughter, Quantabia Hopkins, and a juvenile assistant were arrested and charged with cruelty to children, reckless conduct and involuntary manslaughter. They are out on bond.

Police say Fallings and Hopkins falsified a checklist certifying that all the children had exited the van after the outing, filling it out before the van arrived back at the center. In addition, court documents show that the center waited more than an hour to call 911 after discovering the girl in the sweltering van.

Full text:

Page Not Found

http://www.ajc.com/news/clayton/day-care-center-has-987093.html

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Virginia

Baby boy, 20-months-old, left in hot car in Danville dies

By Steve Doane
Published: June 25, 2011

The infant who was left in a hot car earlier this week died Saturday afternoon in a Roanoke hospital.

Shortly after noon, doctors at Roanoke Carillon Children?s Clinic pronounced Dakhyran Markell Reeves dead. He was 1 year, eight months old, according to a news release from the Danville Police Department.

Reeves was injured on Wednesday, when he, a 3-year-old girl and a 78-year-old woman with dementia were left for an undisclosed amount of time in a car in the parking lot of the Ross store in Coleman MarketPlace.

More...

http://www2.godanriver.com/news/2011/jun/25/infant-left-hot-car-danville-dies-ar-1133382/

**Pathfinder** · June 26, 2011, 03:55 PM

Re: Another baby dies after being left in hot vehicle

<TABLE class=contentpaneopen><TBODY><TR><TD class=contentheading width="100%">Leaving Kids in Hot Cars: We're All at Risk </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE class=contentpaneopen><TBODY><TR><TD>Public Service Announcements </TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top>Written by Doris R. Konneh, DCH Training and Outreach Coordinator </TD></TR><TR><TD class=createdate vAlign=top>Tuesday, June 21 2011 </TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD width="95%"></TD><TD width="5%"><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=5 cellPadding=0 align=right><TBODY><TR><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Children are dying of heat stroke in cars (vehicular hyperthermia) and it?s something we can all prevent. Take a look at these national statistics:*

So far in 2011, at least 10 children have died, including a fivemonth old girl in Kennesaw on May 25
Forty-nine children died in 2010, the highest number of fatalities for a one-year period
From 1998?2011, at least 501 children died, an average of 38 per year (1 in every 10 days)
Ages of child fatalities due to vehicular hyperthermia range from five days to 14 years

These are unnecessary deaths, and we?re all at risk.

Contributing Factors ? Forgetfulness More Often than Neglect

Who leaves a child in a hot car? Anyone who takes care of a child, be it a parent or other family member, babysitter ? or - even you. Yes, count yourself as a person at risk of leaving a child unattended in a vehicle.

Common reasons why caregivers leave a child in a car include busyness, change in normal routine, sleep deprivation, stress, fatigue and distractions. Any or all of these stressors can lead to forgetfulness, the primary culprit in this preventable tragedy.

On a sunny 70-degree day, the temperature in a car can rise as much as 19 degrees in just 10 minutes. Even in a parked car with the windows partially down, the temperature can quickly reach upwards of 125 degrees. A child?s body temperature rises three to five times faster than an adult?s, compounding the seriousness of the situation.

Kids and Cars, a national nonprofit child safety organization dedicated to preventing injuries and death to children in or around motor vehicles, offers these safety recommendations:

Never leave children alone in or around cars, not even for a minute
Put something you'll need like your cell phone, handbag, employee ID or brief case, etc., on the floor board in the back seat
Last In, First Out?Make it a rule to put the child "in" the car last and take the child "out" first
Get in the habit of always opening the back door of your vehicle every time you reach your destination to make sure no child has been left behind. This will soon become a habit. Look Before You Lock.

What You Can Do as a Citizen

If you see a child alone in a parked vehicle, speak up! Call 911 or your local emergency number immediately. Also, be aware of Georgia laws about child safety and push for legislation that addresses children being left alone in cars. Ask your car manufacturer about the current or future availability of safety devices.

A part of raising healthy communities is working together to keep our children safe, no matter where they are.

*Source www.KidsAndCars.org
-Story by Doris R. Konneh, DCH Training and Outreach Coordinator, Medicaid Electronic Health Record Incentives Program
<TABLE><CAPTION>Related Documents:</CAPTION><THEAD><TR><TH class=at_filename>File</TH><TH class=at_file_size>File size</TH><TH class=at_mod_date>Last modified</TH></TR></THEAD><TBODY><TR class=odd><TD class=at_filename>Kids in Hot Cars PSA</TD><TD class=at_file_size>40 Kb</TD><TD class=at_mod_date>06\21\11</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

404 Page not found

http://www.nghd.org/Public-Service-Announcements/leaving-kids-in-hot-cars-were-all-at-risk.html

**Pathfinder** · July 10, 2011, 10:18 PM

Re: Another baby dies after being left in hot vehicle

Oklahoma

July 9, 2011

3yo boy found in hot car dies

By Andrew Knittle The Norman Transcript The Norman Transcript Sat Jul 09, 2011, 01:54 AM CDT

NORMAN ? A 3-year-old boy found inside a hot car in the Sonoma Park housing addition was pronounced dead Friday at Norman Regional Hospital, police say.

The names of the child and his parents were not released on Friday and authorities didn?t specify whether the boy was left in the car or entered the vehicle on his own.

Norman police Capt. Tom Easley said officers were called to 1400 Forest Glenn Circle at 2:20 p.m. Friday on a missing child complaint....

Officers searching the area found the boy inside a car at the same address about 20 minutes later, at which point he was rushed to the hospital and later pronounced dead, likely from heat exhaustion.

More...

http://normantranscript.com/headlines/x999479406/Boy-dead-after-being-left-in-hot-car

**Pathfinder** · July 11, 2011, 07:12 PM

Re: Another baby dies after being left in hot vehicle

South Carolina

Monday, Jul. 11, 2011

Bill aims to make leaving children in cars illegal

By John Monk - McClatchy Newspapers
Excerpt:

An average of 38 children a year die nationwide after being left unattended in cars, according to the group. So far this year, 18 children around the country have died, including one in Columbia who died on Father's Day of a heat stroke after being left in a car by his father.

"Not cooking children by leaving them in a hot car ought to be a no-brainer," said Rep. Chip Limehouse, R-Charleston, a co-sponsor of Gilliard's bill.

"Why are we even talking about this bill?" asked Limehouse, saying that the June 19 death of 9-month-old Jayden Davis in Columbia illustrates the need for such a law. No charges have been brought in that case.

Read more: http://www.thesunnews.com/2011/07/11...#ixzz1RqRAAcxj

**Pathfinder** · July 11, 2011, 07:18 PM

Re: Another baby dies after being left in hot vehicle

Louisiana

New Orleans man arrested after unattended child is found in car at Boomtown Casino

Published: Monday, July 11, 2011, 2:05 PM
Updated: Monday, July 11, 2011, 6:36 PM

By Allen Powell II, The Times Picayune The Times-Picayune

A New Orleans man remains in custody at the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center after authorities say he left a 7-year-old boy in a car during the heat of Saturday so he could gamble at Boomtown Casino.
...
Security officers found the 7-year-old inside the car with all of the windows rolled up, and a small crack in the driver's side window. Paramedics were contacted, and they found the child was sweating profusely and was warm to the touch.
...
Authorities have responded to four reports of a child left in a locked car since the end of May.

On May 31, Winston Hayes, 3, died after being locked inside a car for eight hours. Genee Brumfield, 23, a friend of Winston's mother, was booked with negligent homicide.

Full text:

http://www.nola.com/crime/index.ssf/2011/07/new_orleans_man_arrested_after.html

**Pathfinder** · July 15, 2011, 02:34 PM

Re: Another baby dies after being left in hot vehicle

Louisiana

Mother charged after leaving 3 children in car

by WWLTV.com
wwltv.com
Posted on July 15, 2011 at 12:27 PM

...According to police, she left her three children, a four-year-old, an 18-month-old and a six-month-old, in the hot car for an extended period without the air conditioner.

All three children have brain damage, two are still in the hospital in New Orleans. The 18-month-old child was released to the Department of Child and Family services...

Full text:

404 Not Found | wwltv.com

http://www.wwltv.com/news/Mother-charged-after-leaving-3-children-in-car-125644378.html

**Pathfinder** · July 15, 2011, 02:50 PM

Re: Another baby dies after being left in hot vehicle

Florida
Posted on Thursday, 07.14.11

Toddler may have died in hot van

By Diana Moskovitz and David C. Walter

dcwalter@MiamiHerald.com

The 22-month-old toddler found dead at a Homestead daycare center may have perished because he was left behind in the center?s van all day where temperatures may have reached in the mid-90s.

?Based upon what was observed, it looks like the child was in the van and that was how he died,? said Jacqui Colyer, the Florida Department of Children & Families? top Miami administrator.

Read more:

http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/07/13/2313388/cops-checking-whether-dead-homestead.html#ixzz1SClzZb8Y

**Pathfinder** · July 15, 2011, 05:43 PM

Re: Another baby dies after being left in hot vehicle

Texas

July 14, 2011

Sizzling summer

By Steve Knight/reporter3@trcle.com
The Cleburne Times-Review Thu Jul 14, 2011, 04:00 PM CDT

With the death of a 4-year-old Cleburne girl who was found in the family?s SUV on Monday, health experts want to remind parents that as the intense heat continues, children?s bodies overheat easily and infants and children under age 4 are among those at greatest risk for heat-related illnesses.

Although her cause of death remains to be determined, officials believe heat may have played a role.

More...

http://www.cleburnetimesreview.com/cleburne/x1241063566/Sizzling-summer

**Pathfinder** · July 16, 2011, 06:48 AM

Re: Another baby dies after being left in hot vehicle

Related to post 11

Updated: 6:29 p.m. Friday, July 15, 2011 | Posted: 4:53 p.m. Friday, July 15, 2011

3 kids left in hot car, brain-damaged, blinded

By JANET McCONNAUGHEY
The Associated Press

NEW ORLEANS ?
A 26-year-old woman faces attempted second-degree murder and cruelty charges after authorities accused her of leaving her three small children in a hot car so long they were blistered, brain-damaged and blind, a sheriff said.

The children are 4 years, 18 months and 6 months old. Two of the children remained hospitalized Friday, nearly two months after an ambulance was called for them about 1 p.m. May 22, said Pointe Coupee Sheriff Beauregard "Bud" Torres III. The temperature was 81 at 9 a.m. that day, and hit 91 by the time 911 was called, National Weather Service records show.
...
"Two of them are blind. One has just recovered partial sight. They are in very horrible condition" with little chance of a full recovery, he said.
...
Lerner said the children's blindness is a result of brain damage. "The back side of the brain is responsible for eyesight. If that's injured you can become blind."

Full text:

102.3 KRMG

http://www.krmg.com/news/ap/crime/3-kids-left-in-hot-car-brain-damaged-blinded/nC7MD/

**Pathfinder** · July 17, 2011, 11:02 AM

Re: Another baby dies after being left in hot vehicle

Ottawa

Infant left in car taken to hospital

By Kirstin Endemann, The Ottawa Citizen July 16, 2011

OTTAWA ? An infant left unattended in a vehicle in unseasonably hot weather was taken to hospital Saturday.

Ottawa Police broke a window of a vehicle left at a shopping complex at Trim and Innes roads to remove the young infant at about 12:20 p.m., Ottawa Police said.
...

Ottawa Paramedic Service wanted to remind the public that no child or animal should be left alone for any length of time in a vehicle, in which temperatures can rise quickly.

?We can?t stress enough the inherent dangers of leaving children or small animals in enclosed cars when the weather is this hot,? said Staff Sgt Walsh, who once found a large dog dead in a car from heat exhaustion. ?All it takes is a minute.?

Read more: http://www.ottawacitizen.com/life/Infant+left+taken+hospital/5113903/story.html#ixzz1SNYFn3Wf

Announcement

Another baby dies after being left in hot vehicle

Another baby dies after being left in hot vehicle

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment