Current Events > 5-year-old dies after accidentally left inside vehicle for several hours.

(+) Yeah! (+)

https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2022/06/20/child-dies-after-being-left-inside-vehicle-for-several-hours-sheriff-says/

"HARRIS COUNTY, Texas A child is dead after being left inside a hot vehicle for several hours outside a northeast Harris County home, according to Sheriff Ed Gonzalez.
The tragic incident was reported to deputies around 2 p.m. in the 13700 block of Blair Hill Lane.

According to Gonzalez, a mother and her two children - ages 8 and 5 - were out running errands for the 8-year-olds birthday party Monday night and when they arrived back at the home, the mom and the older child got out of the vehicle.

The mother was unaware that her little boy was still strapped inside. Sheriff Gonzalez said by the time she realized that she had not seen him it was too late.

Between maybe two to three hours, the mom noticed that the other 5-year-old wasnt nowhere to be found, the sheriff said. She began calling for him, but no answer. She frantically ran outside and discovered the 5-year-old still buckled in his car seat.

Afternoon temperatures soared slightly above 100 degrees Monday afternoon, and temperatures inside the closed vehicle were even higher. It takes only 10 minutes in a hot car for temperatures to climb to 113 degrees in a locked car.

The Medical Examiners Office has not yet released his official cause of death, but Gonzalez said he likely died due to heat stroke.
It appears that the child routinely knows how to unbuckle himself from the toddlers seat and open the door, but on this occasion, it didnt happen, Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez said its not clear why the child didnt unstrap but its possible the child was unfamiliar with the loaner vehicle the family was using.

Officials are reminding parents who are traveling with their children during these days of extreme heat to put something in the back seat to remind them that a child is in the vehicle with them.

Look before you lock, always check that backseat, do your roll call, make sure everyone is accounted for when you get in the house, said Amber Rollins, Director of Kids and Car Safety. If you take your kids to daycare ask them to call you immediately if your child doesnt show up as scheduled."

Now that I have a kid I can't imagine forgetting him in the car. I'm very sceptical that any of these people really forgot their kid.

RenescoStCewl posted...

Now that I have a kid I can't imagine forgetting him in the car. I'm very sceptical that any of these people really forgot their kid.

Why would she have something personal against the 5 y/o over the 8 though...

Unfortunately this happens every summer in the southwestern states. One tip for the scatterbrained parents out there is to leave your phone or purse or something in the back seat so that youll notice your kid while getting it.

poor kid.

but is something like this an accident? sounds like straight up neglect.

Cocytus posted...

Why would she have something personal against the 5 y/o over the 8 though...

I'm not going to pretend to understand people who kill their children.

RenescoStCewl posted...

Now that I have a kid I can't imagine forgetting him in the car.

Yep, before I had kids I gave a little benefit of the doubt. I have three kids now and have no idea how this happens. I would check and double check each time because this was always in the back of my mind.

radical rhino posted...

Unfortunately this happens every summer in the southwestern states. One tip for the scatterbrained parents out there is to leave your phone or purse or something in the back seat so that youll notice your kid while getting it.

Yep, it's kind of fucked up though... Leave something important that you won't forget to grab in the back seat... So you don't forget about your kids back there

The part that really gets me is that she didn't notice that her 5 year old wasn't around for 2 to 3 HOURS?!?

ShotgunSilencer posted...

The part that really gets me is that she didn't notice that her 5 year old wasn't around for 2 to 3 HOURS?!?

I know that's what I was thinking. What the fuck did she think HE was up to...

I have 4 kids and I cannot imagine wtf is wrong with any parent that would cause them to forget about their kid and accidently leave them in a hot car.

Yeah thats no accident unless the lid somehow snuck into the vehicle without the parents/guardians knowing

RenescoStCewl posted...

Now that I have a kid I can't imagine forgetting him in the car. I'm very sceptical that any of these people really forgot their kid.

Nah, I don't think it was malicious. Some people are just very forgetful. Especially if they're in a hurry or mentally preoccupied.

Mind-boggling.

https://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/2574177/left-baby-in-hot-car/

It's very easy to do apparently

/s

A parent whose child dies after being left in a hot car for several hours should be charged with homicide. It's common knowledge that hot cars can be deadly. Pleading ignorance is like saying that you don't know that fire burns or that a child can drown if they stay underwater too long.

I don't see any room for a parent to claim that this is a tragic accident. You have to be killing them intentionally if you leave them in a hot car for several hours.

It's extremely sad that a young child suffered a very unpleasant and unenviable demise, but... well... how to put this...
She didn't forget an insignificant and easily overlooked item on the backseat. It was her child, one of the most precious things a person can ever have, and it took her hours to notice his absence!?
I'm quiter baffled, but also, appalled.
This tragedy should not have ever happened because by all reason it should be unfathomable.

NoxObscuras posted...

Nah, I don't think it was malicious. Some people are just very forgetful. Especially if they're in a hurry or mentally preoccupied.

How do you just *forget* that you are a parent and have a child that depends on you? It's not the same as forgetting to buy dryer sheets at the store

FortuneCookie posted...

A parent whose child dies after being left in a hot car for several hours should be charged with homicide. It's common knowledge that hot cars can be deadly. Pleading ignorance is like saying that you don't know that fire burns or that a child can drown if they stay underwater too long.

I don't see any room for a parent to claim that this is a tragic accident. You have to be killing them intentionally if you leave them in a hot car for several hours.

I would expect Manslaughter charges for it. Maybe throw in some child neglect charges too for not checking on him for 2+ hours. My son is 7 and I still make sure I know where he is at home, at all times.

The Eko posted...

How do you just *forget* that you are a parent and have a child that depends on you? It's not the same as forgetting to buy dryer sheets at the store

I don't condone it. I'm just saying that I've absolutely seen people forget things that they shouldn't forget, like their kids. It happens way more than you might think (I've seen lots of news articles).

NoxObscuras posted...

Some people are just very forgetful.

If you "forget" your child for HOURS then you shouldn't be a parent in the first place. Same goes for pet owners.

FortuneCookie posted...

A parent whose child dies after being left in a hot car for several hours should be charged with homicide. It's common knowledge that hot cars can be deadly. Pleading ignorance is like saying that you don't know that fire burns or that a child can drown if they stay underwater too long.

I don't see any room for a parent to claim that this is a tragic accident. You have to be killing them intentionally if you leave them in a hot car for several hours.

This story sounds like she didn't realize the kid was still in the car as opposed to other stories where they think it's fine to leave a kid for a little bit while they run inside the store. Either way though, I can't believe she didn't notice the kid was still in the car.

Legato-and-Vash posted...

This story sounds like she didn't realize the kid was still in the car as opposed to other stories where they think it's fine to leave a kid for a little bit while they run inside the store. Either way though, I can't believe she didn't notice the kid was still in the car.

This Shes not saying she didnt know the car was hot. But that she didnt know the child was still inside the car

It appears that the child routinely knows how to unbuckle himself from the toddlers seat and open the door, but on this occasion, it didnt happen, Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez said its not clear why the child didntd unstrap

Yeah, this is weird. Could the kid have been asleep? Can you die of heat stroke while youre asleep? I mean, I know you can pass out. But can you be asleep in a normal environment and just not wake up when the heat drastically rises?

Cars need some kind of standard safety feature for this like how they all have seat belts.

RedRanger posted...

Yeah, this is weird. Could the kid have been asleep? Can you die of heat stroke while youre asleep? I mean, I know you can pass out. But can you be asleep in a normal environment and just not wake up when the heat drastically rises?

I believe that can happen. People die in their sleep often, I think

Definitely weird because I know that at 5 I could get out of a car myself. Wonder what happened here

RedRanger posted...

Yeah, this is weird. Could the kid have been asleep? Can you die of heat stroke while youre asleep? I mean, I know you can pass out. But can you be asleep in a normal environment and just not wake up when the heat drastically rises?

Yeah, you can have a regular stroke in your sleep as well. I'm kinda surprised you were 99% of the way there and didn't think that heat stroke while sleeping is possible.

gunplagirl posted...

Yeah, you can have a regular stroke in your sleep as well. I'm kinda surprised you were 99% of the way there and didn't think that heat stroke while sleeping is possible.

I should have made the distinction between likely and possible. Anything is possible, I guess. But what is the likelihood that this kid feel asleep in a normal environment and then just never woke up as the heat climbed up? Are there documented cases of that happening?

ShotgunSilencer posted...

The part that really gets me is that she didn't notice that her 5 year old wasn't around for 2 to 3 HOURS?!?

This is where I call horseshit. I have 3 kids. First thing that is out of the car is those three kids. Anything else comes after.

But to then go 2-3 hours not even knowing your kid wasn't around? Complete bullshit.

RedRanger posted...

I should have made the distinction between likely and possible. Anything is possible, I guess. But what is the likelihood that this kid feel asleep in a normal environment and then just never woke up as the heat climbed up? Are there documented cases of that happening?

Heat can cause people to pass out, so he could have woken up shortly and passed out. The heat cause blood vessels to dilate, and gravity pulls the blood to your legs. So, you get low blood pressure and pass out But he may not have woken up. I know Ive fallen asleep, and didnt wake up even though it got hotter I was just super sweaty So, he may have slept through it

[LFAQs-redacted-quote]


She didn't accidentally forget the kid. They were 5 years old and know how to unbuckle themselves and get out of the car and has done so in the past. For whatever reason they didn't do it this time.

Tyranthraxus posted...

She didn't accidentally forget the kid. They were 5 years old and know how to unbuckle themselves and get out of the car and has done so in the past. For whatever reason they didn't do it this time.

I would argue thats still you know forgetting about them despite the fact that they can unbuckle it in the past.

Baha05 posted...

I would argue thats still you know forgetting about them despite the fact that they can unbuckle it in the past.

Yeah but it was definitely intentional. She figured they'd get out on their own eventually.

It's weird that the sibling forgot, too.

[LFAQs-redacted-quote]

I've seen a 4 year old girl unlock a door and let in a teenager and her grandma that combined were stupid enough to lock themselves out of the house and subsequently break the lock by trying to pick it with a stick.

It's not unreasonable to expect a 5 year old to be able to get out of a car on their own.

Mother should have been more responsible though.

RenescoStCewl posted...

Now that I have a kid I can't imagine forgetting him in the car. I'm very sceptical that any of these people really forgot their kid.

Bro I notice my phone is gone after 10 minutes and I'm perpetually stoned. Like how do these people pull this shit off?

People who cry out for blood whenever this happens reminds me of Mark Wahlberg shitting his pants and sniffing them while crying about how he would have averted 9/11 if he had been on the planes.

Holy shit people itt need to chill the fuck out.

This is way more on the side of freak accident than neglect. A 5 year old isn't a toddler that needs assistance to do anything. 5 year olds can unbuckle themselves and open doors. This isn't the same as leaving a 2 year old in the car.

DeadBankerDream posted...

People who cry out for blood whenever this happens reminds me of Mark Wahlberg shitting his pants and sniffing them while crying about how he would have averted 9/11 if he had been on the planes.

Would make for an interesting movie. Markie Mark Saves 9/11

DeadBankerDream posted...

People who cry out for blood whenever this happens reminds me of Mark Wahlberg shitting his pants and sniffing them while crying about how he would have averted 9/11 if he had been on the planes.

Shadow Don posted...

Holy shit people itt need to chill the fuck out.

This is way more on the side of freak accident than neglect. A 5 year old isn't a toddler that needs assistance to do anything. 5 year olds can unbuckle themselves and open doors. This isn't the same as leaving a 2 year old in the car.

And here come the apologists

I actually knew someone who left his kid in the car and it was devastating. He was a student professor and daycare was at the same complex, and he forgot to bring the kid in first. I didnt know him that well but he always seemed like a good guy with a good head on his shoulders.

This keeps happening because no one believes it will happen to them. It may be hard to believe but these mistakes do happen. I can tell being a parent of two young kids who dont sleep well, that my mind is not as sharp as it once was. I cant imagine leaving my son in the car, but Ive had other fuck ups as a parent that I never thought would happen either.

EndOfDiscOne posted...

I actually knew someone who left his kid in the car and it was devastating. He was a student professor and daycare was at the same complex, and he forgot to bring the kid in first. I didnt know him that well but he always seemed like a good guy with a good head on his shoulders.

This keeps happening because no one believes it will happen to them. It may be hard to believe but these mistakes do happen. I can tell being a parent of two young kids who dont sleep well, that my mind is not as sharp as it once was. I cant imagine leaving my son in the car, but Ive had other fuck ups as a parent that I never thought would happen either.

I figure if you can't imagine leaving your kid in the car then when it does happen you won't even realize it.

RedRanger posted...

Yeah, this is weird. Could the kid have been asleep? Can you die of heat stroke while youre asleep? I mean, I know you can pass out. But can you be asleep in a normal environment and just not wake up when the heat drastically rises?

Absolutely. In fact, as it starts to happen, you'll lose consciousness anyways given enough time.

WaterLink posted...

And here come the apologists

Yea blow it out your fucking ass.

You don't get any points for being the most outraged person in a mob.

I'm not a parent or anything but how the fuck do you forget where your kid is for several hours. Wtf are you doing that's so important? Playing elden ring? Lyndell sewers can wait man.

1000 plus deaths since this started being counted overwhelmingly texas leads the nation in hot car children death with over 100