A nine-year-old girl tragically died after being left alone in a hot car while her mother was at work in Galena Park, Texas.
The child was found unresponsive inside a Toyota Camry parked in an unshaded area of the United States Gypsum facility’s parking lot, where temperatures reached 97 degrees Fahrenheit on Tuesday.
Child dies in hot car amid soaring summer temperatures in Texas
Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said the mother left the child with some water and the car windows partially down before starting her 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. shift. Authorities were contacted at 2:06 p.m., and first responders arrived around 3:15 p.m., performing CPR and other life-saving measures before transporting the girl to Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
“A nine-year-old beautiful little girl has lost her life by no fault of her own,” Sheriff Gonzalez said, stressing that leaving a child in a car is never acceptable regardless of circumstances.
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He added that children’s body temperatures rise faster than adults, making any time spent alone in a hot car dangerous and potentially fatal.
Texas hot car tragedy highlights dangers of leaving children unattended
Medical experts warn that children’s core body temperatures can rise quickly, leading to irreversible organ and brain damage. Dr. Anthony Arredondo from Texas Children’s Hospital explained that when a body temperature exceeds 102 or 104 degrees Fahrenheit, significant harm can occur within minutes.
The Harris County Sheriff’s Office continues its investigation, and charges against the mother, aged 36, are expected. United States Gypsum, the employer, issued a statement offering condolences and confirming cooperation with local authorities as they conduct their inquiry.
The National Safety Council reports that an average of 38 children die annually in the U.S. after being left unattended in hot vehicles, emphasizing the critical need for awareness and prevention of such tragedies.
