There is nothing more sad than the death of a young child. Especially painful is when a parent feels responsible for it.
Our heart goes out to the mother in Madison County who thought she had dropped off her 2-year-old daughter at daycare one morning last week, only to discover — to her horror — that the child was left all day in her car seat, in the back seat of the car, and died as a result.
There have been similar stories like this over the years, not just involving parents but also grandparents and other caregivers. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does, it’s terribly tragic.
A parked car, with the windows rolled up, will heat up to dangerous levels quickly when the sun is out, even on a moderately warm day. On a hot day, it happens in minutes.
One of the best precautions is for drivers to put a reminder that will force them to look in the back seat when they park. A couple of years ago we heard about a grandmother who put her left shoe next to the child. It’s still a great idea.
