Risk of child hot car deaths rise as summer approaches

ATLANTA, Ga. (CBS46) - As the temps rise, the concern for kids being left in hot cars grows.

There’s already been an incident in northwest Atlanta this spring.

According to Atlanta Police, a 51-year-old childcare worker named Moric Palmer was driving three-year-old Zahir Williams to daycare when he made an unauthorized stop and left the toddler in his car for hours.

NHTSA HEATSTROKE INFORMATION

“When the child care worker came back to the car he tried to give him some water tried to revive him and from that point he was taken to the hospital,” said Zahir’s relative Maria Arvelolumpkin.

Palmer is charged with second-degree child cruelty. Zahir is out of the hospital but could suffer long-term effects of heatstroke, like a lower heat tolerance and damaged organs according to the Mayo Clinic.

According to data from the Department of Transportation, nearly 1,000 kids have died from being left in a hot car since the late 90s. On average, 38 children a year die in the back seat. Most of those kids are simply forgotten. The majority of victims of hot car deaths are two and under and stuck in car seats.

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