An 11-month old baby boy from Georgia died of suspected heatstroke after his grandparents forgot him in the car for two hours after going to church. The boy was left in the care of his grandparents when his mother, who is an emergency room nurse, went to sleep after coming from work.
The grandparents and another relative went to church and took the child with them. A misunderstanding was seen to be the reason why no one noticed that the boy was left in the car. Everyone thought someone took the child and laid him down because he was asleep on their way back home.
During the summer season, temperatures in Georgia could rise up to 90 degrees in the afternoon and police believe that the boy died of heatstroke. The only time they learned that the boy was not at home is when his mother woke up and asked about her baby. She rushed outside and found the boy inside the parked car. She immediately tried to revive the boy but it was too late. The boy was announced dead on arrival in the nearby hospital.
Walker County Sheriff Steve Wilson said that police investigations disclosed that early indications show the boy's death was accidental. However, authorities are keeping an open mind to further look into the matter but no charges have been filed yet. An autopsy was done and they are waiting for the results, CNN reports.
On average, 38 children die in hot cars each year from heat-related deaths after being trapped inside motor vehicles, reports Kids and Cars Organization. As of September this year, 20 children died after being trapped in a hot vehicle in the United States alone. Since 2013, 719 lives were lost.
Even the best parents could lose the lives of their children due to negligence. Many health experts are recommending that parents should look before they lock the car and make sure all of their children are checked before leaving the car. Being trapped in a hot car is like being placed inside an oven, it can be dangerous and fatal for fragile bodies like babies and children.