5-Year-Old Child, dies in "tragic accident" after they were left in hot car "for up to several hours," says police
By RonnySteel
Sadly, a young 5-year-old child died after being left in a car "for up to several hours" as the temperatures reached dangerously high that day. Describing it as a "very tragic accident," Virginia police said went to a home in the 6700 block of Grey Fox Dr in Springfield on Tuesday afternoon. They had received a report that "a child was left in a car and found unresponsive," revealed the Fairfax County Police on Twitter. The 5-year-old was immediately rushed to a hospital but tragically was pronounced dead upon arrival, revealed police.
During a press conference, which was shared by ABC affiliate WJLA, Fairfax County Police Lt. John Lieb said, "Officers responded here for what was reported as a tragic accident, and at this point, I don't have any reason to doubt that. The circumstances that led up to that child remaining in the child safety seat are still under investigation. Our heart breaks for this family." Lieb noted that the deceased was taken home by a parent along with many "young" siblings who were also in the car. After arriving hime, the siblings exited the vehicle, but the 5-year-old did not and ended up remaining in the sweltering temperature for hours, reports PEOPLE.
https://twitter.com/Molly_sayss/status/1425526308407156740
"Early information suggests the child could have been in there for up to several hours," shared Lieb. When the child was finally discovered, a 911 call was made and officers arrived at the scene within minutes of being summoned. They began performing CPR on the unconscious child to no avail. "An autopsy will be conducted to confirm cause and manner, but I do suspect based on the preliminary findings and the high degree of heat that that certainly played a factor in the child's very tragic passing," added Lieb. Accordingto CBS affiliate WUSA, that particular day temperatures reached the 90s during the day.
Even though the outside may not feel as hot, the temperature inside a car can go extremely high. When the outdoor temperature is say 22 degrees, the temperature inside a car can reach an unbearable 47 degrees within an hour, according to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA). Unfortunately, children and pets are the most common victims of hot cars. Per the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, almost 900 kids have die of a heatstroke since 1988 after being trapped or left inside a hot car. More than half of hot car-related deaths happen because someone forgets about keeping their child in a car and 46 percent of the time it's a caregiver who was meant to drop off a child at a preschool or daycare but forgot about doing so.
Hoping to reduce these unavoidable, painful deaths the agency recommends adults to never leave a child in a vehicle that is unattended irrespective of whether the widows are open or the air conditioning is on. People need to get in the habit of checking their entire vehicle before locking the door and walking off. Keeping a personal item such as a briefcase or a purse in the backseat can also serve as a reminder to check the care before locking it. Parents should also ask their childcare provider to call in case their child doesn't show up as expecting. It is also advised that people keep their car doors and trucks locked just so their children don't enter the unattended vehicle.
Cover image source: YouTube Screenshot | WUSA9
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