After repeated tragedies that make others vow “never again,” some individuals seem willing to risk leaving their small children in hot automobiles throughout the summer.
Sadly, each passing year brings further proof of why this is a disastrous, even deadly, blunder. Still, young lives are lost month after month while individuals manage to succeed.
In retrospect, 2019 provides a perfect example of an event that came dangerously close to being a catastrophe. A little Maryland kid, aged 4, was able to contact 911 and report that he and five other children had been left in a van with the windows rolled up and the temperature reaching 105 degrees Fahrenheit.
Charles County Sheriff's Office is currently investigating after authorities say seven toddlers from ages 2 to 4 years old were left in a hot car in a parking lot of the St. Charles Towne Center in Waldorf. https://t.co/Z4gjFmepZD
— 7News DC (@7NewsDC) May 10, 2019
It’s right; you read that correctly. Sheriff’s officials in Charles County, Maryland, said seven kids, the youngest of whom was 2, were trapped inside a car.
The astute 4-year-old told police he didn’t know where the kids were but that it was hot outside.
Thankfully, the 911 operator tracked the call to a parking lot in a Waldorf, Maryland, retail mall. The youngsters were afraid and sweaty when the police came. Approximately 20 minutes after she left, the driver returned to her car.
It has been reported that the lady cared for seven kids, two of whom she was the mother of. A child confinement accusation was filed against her after the fact.
It’s risky to leave a child (or a pet) in a vehicle with the windows rolled up and closed doors. Extreme heat may make cars feel like ovens, increasing passengers’ risk of heat stroke.
Thankfully, this four-year-old had the forethought to phone 911 when he realized something was wrong. If things had gone; differently, it may have ended badly.
