A 23-month-old boy died in a hot car in Plantation, Florida, on Monday after his father allegedly forgot to drop him off at daycare and left him in the vehicle for hours.
Authorities responded to a report of a deceased child at A World of Discovery Academy daycare center at approximately 5:39 p.m. Upon arrival, officers and firefighters confirmed the toddler's death in the back seat of his father's car, which was parked at the facility. The identities of the father and child have not been released.
The Plantation Police Department is investigating the incident. According to Leslie Novoa, the owner and director of the daycare, the father arrived to pick up his son and was informed by staff that the child had not attended that day. It was at this point the father realized he had forgotten to remove the toddler from the car that morning.
"He opened the door and closed the door and then when I said 'Can I help you with something?' he opened the door and that's when I went to check on the child and unfortunately found out that the child was deceased," Novoa told NBC6.
Novoa, who has known the family for six years and described them as "great parents," said the father was distraught. The toddler's mother also arrived at the scene and was overcome with emotion.
Temperatures in Plantation reached a high of 97°F on Monday, according to The Weather Channel. The National Weather Service states that interior vehicle temperatures can reach 120°F in minutes and approach 150°F within an hour on hot days. Children's body temperatures increase three to five times faster than adults', making them particularly vulnerable to heatstroke.
This incident marks the third reported hot car death in Florida this year and the ninth nationwide. Florida has the second-highest number of hot car fatalities in the U.S. since 1990, with Texas having the most. The 23-month-old's death brings the state's total to at least 126 over the past 36 years, and the national total to at least 1,181 during the same period. The National Weather Service recommends the "Look Before You Lock" campaign to remind parents to check back seats before leaving vehicles unattended.