An 11-month-old baby died in Florida after being left in a car for three hours by his parents who went to attend a mass, while the mercury was close to 30°C outside.
“This is an unfortunate incident, and our condolences and prayers go out to the family,” Palm Bay Police Chief Mario Augello said in a statement reported by Fox35 on Tuesday.
Last Sunday, under a blazing sun in Palm Bay, Florida, the infant was found unconscious inside a vehicle in the early afternoon, after having probably spent three hours alone in the vehicle, according to what reportedly said the police.
The 11-month-old girl was rushed to hospital and pronounced dead. It would already be the sixth victim to die in a car in the United States in 2023, according to the American media, which has reported more than 1,000 similar cases since 1990.
Just two days earlier, a 4-year-old child was reportedly found dead in Houston, Texas in similar conditions after being left with his two-year-old sister in a vehicle, Global News reported on Wednesday.
An investigation is said to be underway to shed light on the event, but no charges have yet been filed.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a vehicle’s interior could reach an additional 20 degrees in just minutes, even if the window is cracked to let in the air.