Little children losing their lives in hot car deaths is incredibly tragic and heartbreaking. Every year hundreds of children in the United States fall victim to this preventable death.
A father in Virginia left his 18-month-old son in the backseat of a hot car. He left his son for over three hours and when he returned, he realized what he had done and panicked.
When he discovered his young son’s lifeless body, he immediately took him back to their Chesterfield County home around noon. Soon after, police received a call saying that the father was suicidal. When police units had been dispatched to his location, they received another call from a family member of the man.
They narrated to the police that he had told them that he feared his son might be dead because he left the toddler in the back seat of his hot car, strapped into his baby seat for over three hours.
When police arrived at the scene, they saw the car in the driveway with the back door still open and the baby seat empty.
When they went inside the house, they found the toddler’s dead body.
After this, they found the 37-year-old father of the toddler, in the wooded area behind their home. He was also dead because of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
This is a horrible tragedy on so many levels and our hearts go out to the family and friends that are going to deal with this,” Officer Chris Hensley, who was at the scene told reporters. He further added a reminder, “But we would be remiss to not take an opportunity for people to realize how important it is to obviously check your vehicles.
The police are investigating the issue and have not revealed the identities of the toddler and his father. Hot car deaths have been a regular occurrence for a while.
Experts are trying to come up with technologies that can help prevent these deaths which are devastating for not just parents but entire communities. But in the meantime, it is a good idea to double-check your car before you leave it under the hot summer sun.
We wish the mother and other family members of the child and deceased father well in their trying time. Hopefully, losses like this can be avoided in the future.
