Even before the most recent instance of a child being left in a closed car hit the state news, Kansas officials were active, warning adults to be aware of the danger that is posed by such actions.
It may be done with the best of intentions, but it simply doesn’t take any time at all for the interior of a vehicle to reach a deadly level when the air conditioning isn’t running.
And just leaving windows down isn’t the answer when the air temperature is over 100 degrees.
It was this past week that Wichita police arrested a woman who left her 1-year-old sleeping in a car while she went into a store to shop.
According to the Associated Press, “A passerby noticed the baby and called 911. Authorities were about to break into the car when the mother returned with two older children.
“Police estimate the baby was in the car for 15 or 16 minutes. The baby was unhurt, but the mother could face criminal charges.”
Secretary of Social and Rehabilitation Services Rob Siedlecki issued a statement this past week, warning the public that a vehicle can quickly become a death trap for children.
“Children should never be left unattended in a car, even when the weather is nice. With the high temperatures and heat indexes we are experiencing right now, even a short trip into a store or to run an errand can become a disaster,” the SRS secretary stated.
There have been instances when parents allege they have forgotten they have a sleeping infant in the back seat when they stop somewhere.
“The secretary encouraged parents to leave reminders for themselves that their children are in the car. A distracted parent overlooking a sleeping infant in a car seat is a recipe for tragedy.
“Deliberately putting a briefcase or purse in the back seat alongside the infant is a good reminder.”
The challenge isn’t far fetched, either, Siedlecki urged.
“So far this year, 21 children have died from hyperthermia in the U.S. as a result of being left in a hot car... In 2010, 49 children died that way.”
Another issue that gets overlooked is the threat to children who play around cars that are not even in use.
It is too easy, if parked vehicles are not locked, for kids to get in, without realizing the danger they are in if they cannot easily get back out.
“It is also important to keep children from playing in unattended vehicles. Between 1998 and 2010, 149 children died while they were playing in cars,” Siedlecki noted.
There are danger signs that adults should notice in a child, Siedlecki warned.
“According to the Centers for Disease Control, hyperthermia warning signs in children include a temperature above 103 degrees; hot, red, dry or moist skin; a rapid and strong pulse; and possible unconsciousness.
“Children exhibiting those signs should be moved to a cooler environment and bathed with a cool wet cloth.
“The CDC advises not to give them fluids; rather, call 911 and treat the situation as an emergency.”