HOUSTON – A 3-year-old has died after getting locked in a car during the sweltering hot conditions in Houston.
The boy was found in the 1200 block of Hopper shortly before 2 p.m. Officials with the HPD say the boy went out the front door of his home and got into the vehicle through the front door as he tried to get a toy from the back of the car, but the backseat doors of had the child safety lock on so he couldn’t get out.
Paramedics with the Houston Fire Department arrived to find the boy in cardiac arrest, and he was rushed to LBJ Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
This is the second day that temperatures have reached 96 degrees; the hottest days of the year thus far.
HFD reminds everyone that rising summer temperatures can cause an increase risk of heat stroke resulting in brain damage and death from children being left in hot cars.
HFD EMS Medical Director Dr. David Persse explains, “It’s usually some sort of a guardian who just plain forgets because there’s a change in routine. But the other situation that we sometimes see is that kids will get into a car and they’ll be playing around the car and they’ll accidentally lock it and the child will panic and they don’t know how to unlock the car.”
The National Weather Service (NWS) has extended a Heat Advisory for Harris County and the Greater Houston Area to 7pm Saturday, June 18th.
6 Tips to Prevent Hot Car Deaths:
- Place your cell phone, briefcase, purse or other important item in the backseat before driving to your destination. This will get you in the routine of checking the backseat every day.
- Establish a peace-of-mind plan. When you drop off your child, make a habit of calling or texting all other caregivers, so all of you know where your child is at all times.
- Thirty percent of the deaths in the U.S. have occurred when a child climbed into an unlocked vehicle. Before getting out of the car, check to be sure everyone is out and lock all doors.
- Communicate planned absences with daycare providers. Ask them to call you if your child does not arrive on time, and they have not heard from you.
- Educate your children about not playing in and around vehicles.
- If you see a child alone in a car, dial 911 immediately.
