Toddler left in car by babysitter becomes 2nd hot car death in Broward in a week
A 2-year-old who died over the holiday weekend after being left in a vehicle became the second hot car death in seven days in Broward County.
The latest tragedy occurred after a babysitter reportedly left the toddler in a vehicle outside a home on Sunday in Hallandale Beach, according to the police department. Officers responded to the hospital where the child was taken at around 1:35 p.m., but medical staff pronounced the 2-year-old dead, police said.
The department described the incident as “heartbreaking.”
“No family should ever have to experience a tragedy like this,” said Hallandale Beach Police Chief Michel Michel. “I urge every parent, grandparent, guardian, babysitter and caregiver to make it a habit to always check the back seat before locking your vehicle. A simple routine, such as placing your phone, purse or another essential item in the backseat, can serve as a reminder and help prevent an unimaginable loss.”
Afternoon high temperatures over the holiday weekend were in the 90s in South Florida, with the heat index forecast to reach 105 to 108 degrees, according to the National Weather Service.
Just six days earlier in another part of Broward, a dad went to pick up his child from a daycare center in Plantation only for staff to tell him the child had never been dropped off.
That’s when the father realized his son had been in the backseat the whole time, the owner of A World of Discovery Academy told the Miami Herald. First responders with the Plantation Fire Department rushed to the parking lot at 5:39 p.m. on June 29, and confirmed the child was dead.
As of July 6, 10 children have died in hot cars across the country, including four in Florida, according to the nonprofit Kids and Car Safety.
The organization similarly advises caregivers to use visual cues and personal items placed in the backseat of the car, or a child’s item in the front, as reminders of the kids in the vehicle. Caregivers can also ask daycare staff to contact them if their child isn’t dropped off.