It appears that no matter how many stark warnings are issued, no matter how many incidents occur after which people say “never again,” those who leave young children in hot cars during the summer persist.
Every year, we are presented with new evidence as to why this is a terrible and sometimes fatal mistake. And yet, month after month, people continue to make it at the expense of precious young lives.
One only needs to look back to 2019 to find an example of an incident that was on the verge of becoming tragic. A 4-year-old Maryland boy was able to call 911 and report that he and six other children had been left in a hot car with the windows rolled up.
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
Yes, you read that correctly. According to the Charles County Sheriff’s Office, seven children aged two to four were locked inside the vehicle.
The astute 4-year-old was able to inform authorities that the children were hot, but he had no idea where they were.
The 911 dispatcher was able to trace the call to a shopping centre parking lot in Waldorf, Maryland. The kids were terrified and sweating by the time officers arrived. The driver returned to her vehicle after about 10 minutes – she had been gone for about 20 minutes.
According to reports, the woman was the mother of two of the children and babysat the other five. She was later charged with child confinement in a motor vehicle.
Needless to say, leaving a small child (or a pet) in a vehicle with the windows rolled up and the doors locked is extremely risky. In hot weather, cars can quickly become ovens, and heat stroke can occur.