Infant Dies After Being Left in Hot Car All Day

On Aug. 12, a seven-month old infant died after he was left all day in a hot SUV in a Wal-Mart parking lot just outside of San Antonio, Texas. Temperatures in the area were at or near 100 degrees for most of the afternoon.

The child’s father told police that he forgot to drop him off at daycare before heading to work at the Wal-Mart in Helotes, Texas. No charges have been filed against the father, who was also taken to the hospital after reporting chest pains.

The seven-month old infant is the sixth Texas child that has died this year after being left in hot cars. Across the country, 27 children have died after being left in a hot car, a huge increase from the 15 child heat-stroke deaths last year. The worst year for child heat-stroke deaths was 2010, as 49 children died.

Child deaths from heat stroke have been rising since the ’90s when laws were passed requiring young children be put in the back seat to avoid injuries from airbags.

It can get much hotter inside a car than it is outside. In fact, if it is 90 degrees outside, the temperature in a car can reach 119 degrees in just 20 minutes and approximately 133 degrees in an hour. These high temperatures are not safe for anyone, but they are particularly dangerous for children and the elderly.

Children are often left in the car by their parents, but sometimes they are left by babysitters and daycare providers. If these children die, families may be able to assert a wrongful death claim against the person who was negligent.

If your child died after someone left them in a hot car, contact a skilled personal injury lawyer in Fort Worth at Anderson, Cummings & Drawhorn, LLP to review your legal options and see if you are entitled to file a wrongful death claim.

Contact us today by calling (817) 920-9000 to set up a free, no obligation consultation.