As parents, we want what is best for our children and we will work hard to ensure that they are cared for both physically and emotionally. Unfortunately, there are also times when the unthinkable happens.
The statistics are rather dire, because dozens of infants die every year in the United States because they are left in hot cars. In most cases, it is due to an oversight on the part of the caregiver and rarely are they left in the car unsupervised on purpose.
Most people wonder how this could ever happen but we live such busy lives, it makes you wonder why it doesn’t happen more often. Typically, there is a change of schedule or some type of pickup in the routine that leads to this tragedy. I’m not defending it, just explaining how it often happens.
For example, some people may think that they already dropped their children off at a caregiver and hours later, they discover the fatal mistake. Others may forget that the child was with them or they jump out of the car at the store without looking in the backseat.
Unfortunately, this happened again as a 10-month-old baby from Louisiana died in a hot car. It happened after her mother was called into work and she left the infant in the car by accident.
The Jennings, Louisiana Police Department responded to a call about a 10-month-old baby left in a car. This was at approximately 4 PM on August 13.
The mother claimed that the infant had been in the car for approximately 1 1/2 hours and at that time, the child was still alive but was in critical condition. Unfortunately, she was pronounced dead later that day.
The news came on August 16 that the baby girl had passed away. It happened at 11 PM on August 14.
According to the police department’s news release: “Investigators interviewed the Mother who indicated she was called in to work and inadvertently left the child in the car while she was inside. The investigation is ongoing.”
According to the Jennings police chief, Danny Semmes, the estimate is that the interior temperature of the vehicle was in excess of 120°. He went on to say: “It’s a tragic situation. My heart goes out to the baby and the family.”
No charges have been filed as of yet against the baby’s mother.