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Don't Leave Loved Ones Behind

Get online and go to the search engine of your choice. Type in “child in hot car” and see what you find.

As I write this, there’s the story about two moms arrested in separate incidents in Georgia for allegedly leaving their kids locked in their hot cars while they went about their errands. A South Carolina woman was arrested after a witness called police to report three small children crying loudly and drenched in sweat. The mom was shopping inside a local store.

There’s also the story of a Colorado mom who was ticketed for leaving her three kids, ages eight, 10 and 18-months, in her SUV while police say she went to a tanning salon. All the children in the above cases are alive and well, thanks to police intervening.

But there’s also the story of two Louisiana daycare workers charged with negligent homicide, after they allegedly left a 22-month old girl in the company van. The day care workers, believed that all of the children were unloaded from the vehicle, but allegedly never checked to confirm that the vehicle was empty.

All these incidents all happened in just the first two weeks this month. By the time you read this, there will likely be more.

The New Mexico Department of Health reports nine children have died in New Mexico from heatstroke after being left in hot cars since 1998. An average of 37 children have died in hot cars each year in the United States in that same time period.  Of those lives lost, 53% resulted from adults intentionally or unintentionally leaving children unattended in automobiles. An additional 47% resulted from children gaining access to unlocked vehicles without supervision. 

The New Mexico Department of Health leads Safe Kids New Mexico, a coalition which provides staff, operation support and other resources to assist in keeping kids safe.

According to Safe Kids New Mexico, even in cool temperatures, cars can heat up to dangerous temperatures very quickly. For most of the incidents mentioned above, it was no more than 85 degrees outside.

But even with the windows cracked open, interior temperatures can rise almost 20 degrees Fahrenheit within the first 10 minutes alone. Anyone left inside is at risk for serious heat-related illnesses or even death, but it is children, even pets, who are left unattended in parked cars who are at greatest risk.

New Mexicans can help reduce the number of deaths from heatstroke by following these simple tips:

  • Place your purse, wallet, glasses, cell phone or anything you always need on the back seat so you’ll look for them every time you get out of the car.
  • Never leave a child unattended in a vehicle, even with the windows slightly open.
  • If you see a child alone in a car and they appear flushed or non-responsive, the car is locked, and you cannot immediately find the parents or caregivers, call 911 immediately.
  • Teach children not to play in any vehicle; keys and/or remote openers should never be left within reach of children.
  • Watch children closely around vehicles, particularly when loading and unloading. Check to ensure all children leave the vehicle when you reach your destination.
  • Make it a habit to always open the back door of your vehicle every time you reach your destination to make sure no child has been left behind.
  • Keep vehicles locked at all times; even in the garage or driveway and always set your parking brake.
  • When a child is missing, check vehicles and car trunks first and immediately.

More information on heat-related illness can be found on the Department’s website at https://nmtracking.org/en/health_effects/heat-stress/.