Keeping kids or pets inside hot cars KILLS

Nationally, last year 52 children died in hot cars. This year so far, there have been 16 child deaths- 6 of them being in the month of June. 

A warning to parents as the first heat wave of the season grips the country.

“It doesn’t really matter the age of the child, they can become overcome with heat very very quickly. Younger children? They’re very susceptible to it. Their heat system doesn’t work like ours do,” Morristown EMS Deputy Director, James Purkey said. 

On Sunday in Sioux City, a 16–month old girl was found in an unattended hot car, sadly did not make it.

“We do frequently get calls of people leaving their pets and children in vehicles. It’s a critical issue, and we have actually charged people with child neglect for leaving their children in a car this time of year because of the heat,” South Sioux City Police, Lt. Doug Adams said. 

And pets are just as vulnerable to death or heatstroke in cars as your children.

“Even parking in the shade and running in to the store for 5 minutes to just pick up one thing, you’re still really risking the chance that they could get sick and they could potentially get heatstroke while in that car while you’re gone,” Nebraska Animal Medical Center, Dr. Lyndee Whalen said.

Concerned pet owners even say that when you are driving, your dog should be inside the car with you.

“I saw the other day, it’s 100 degrees out, and somebody had their dogs, driving down the road, in the back of an open pick–up, and the dog was just running back and forth with its tongue hanging out,” dog owner, Joe Seewald said. 

Experts say just being aware that this could happen is huge.

“The biggest mistake people can make is to think that this will never happen to them or their family, because if you think that, you won’t put preventative measures in order to make sure it doesn’t happen.”

In all cases, police say to leave a cellphone, handbag, or work id, something that will make you go to the back of your car every time you park, hoping to prevent these kinds of tragedies.