A three-year-old boy died after his mother accidentally left him in a parked car in Riverview, Florida, where temperatures reached over 38°C. The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office reported that around 10:40 pm on Saturday, the boy's father discovered him inside the vehicle. The child was rushed to a hospital but was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.
Investigation launched into the tragedy
The sheriff's office has initiated an investigation into the incident, but it remains unclear how long the boy was left in the car. The temperature in Riverview that day exceeded 38°C, with the heat index making it feel even hotter. Sheriff Crad Chronister urged parents and caregivers to prioritize hot vehicle safety, emphasizing never to leave a child unattended in a vehicle, even for a moment.
Similar incident in France
Just a day earlier, the bodies of two young children, aged two and four, were found in their mother's car during a 38°C heatwave in southern France. The children were discovered unresponsive in the family vehicle parked in the garage of their grandmother's home in Carpentras, Provence, around 1:10 pm on Monday. According to Le Parisien, the mother claimed she had 'forgotten her children' while shopping and was unaware they were inside until she found them. She has not yet been questioned by police. Efforts by police and firefighters to save the children were unsuccessful.
Record-breaking heatwave in Europe
Europe, including the UK, is experiencing a record-breaking heatwave, with temperatures exceeding 40°C in parts of France. Emergency services and the military have been placed on wildfire alert throughout the country.
