Toddler Dies in Hot Car: California 3-Year-Old Climbed in Car Unsupervised
A toddler died in a hot car Wednesday in southern California after climbing into the family car unsupervised, according to reports. The 3-year-old had been playing outside while the rest of the family was taking a nap, but got trapped in their car and could not escape.
The toddler that died in a hot car was initially in front of the family home in Sylmar, California when the incident occurred. The child's mother, father and 14-year-old had decided to take a midday nap while the child remained outside. During some point, he went missing, however.
When the father awoke from his nap, he discovered that the toddler was missing. By 3 p.m. he had found him trapped in the Toyota trapped in the 98-degree heat, NBC news reported.
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The toddler was airlifted to a local hospital, but unfortunately, the 3-year-old was pronounced dead.
Investigators are considering the case an accident and do not suspect foul play in the child's death, but are still finding out exactly what happened.
The case is similar to that of Logan Cox of Buford, South Carolina, a 3-year-old that also died early in July after being trapped in a hot car. The child was missing for less than an hour, but still died from his injuries several days later.
The child had been with his mother, but she fell asleep while watching him, according to reports. Logan went outside without her knowledge and went into the car with the family dog. Both the 3-year-old and the dog succumbed to injuries from heatstroke four days afterwards.
"I know it was an accident," the boy's grandfather, Jimmy Clevinger, told WCNC-TV. "My daughter was laying on the couch with him watching TV and my wife was in the bedroom."
He said the boy had become trapped inside after watching the adults unlock the car many times.
"He knows how to unlock these cars 'cause he'll sit and play; he's watched when they hit the button for the locks," his grandfather said. "He had got out of the house, got in the car. It was so hot in there and it overtook him."
