SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS — A 5-year-old boy tragically died on Wednesday, July 9, after being left in a hot car outside a daycare in San Antonio, Texas. The boy’s mother, 22, reportedly told San Antonio Police that she typically drops her son off at Pinnacle Kids’ Academy before heading to work, which she said is “right next door.”
What Happened
On the morning of July 9, the mother went to work around 8 a.m., fully believing that she had dropped her son off at daycare. However, when she returned to the daycare at 4:30 p.m., staff informed her that her son had never been dropped off. It was then that the mother realized her son had been left in the car.
Upon returning to her vehicle, she found her son unresponsive in his car seat. Paramedics responded to the scene but pronounced him dead shortly after. The identity of the child and his mother has not been publicly disclosed.
Investigation and Response
Homicide supervisors and detectives arrived at the scene to investigate the incident and determine whether the death was accidental or criminal. As of Thursday, July 10, no arrests have been made, and the investigation is ongoing.
San Antonio Police Chief William McManus called the situation an “extremely tragic” event, adding that the family is “quite distraught.” He also issued a warning for all residents, saying, “This serves as a tragic reminder—check the backseat and don’t leave children or pets in the vehicle here in South Texas.”
A Growing Tragedy
This incident marks the fourth child death in a hot car in the past two weeks. On July 1, a 9-year-old girl died after being left inside a car while her mother went to work at 6 a.m. in Galena Park, Texas. The mother was detained at the scene. Just days earlier, on June 28, a 3-month-old boy died after his father, Ricardo Adrian Mata, forgot he was in the backseat while drinking at a bar in Mission, Texas. Mata is facing a charge of injury to a child causing death.
On June 29, Karen Silva, 36, was charged with injury to a child causing death after a 4-year-old boy, Logan Urbina, was found unresponsive in a daycare van.
The Danger of Hot Cars
Every year, nearly 40 children die in hot cars in the United States, which averages to about one every nine days, according to Kids and Car Safety. Around 88% of those who die are three years old or younger, and 55% of these deaths occur when children are unknowingly left behind by loving, responsible parents or caregivers.
On a 95-degree day, the interior temperature of a car can climb to 114 degrees in just 10 minutes and 129 degrees in 30 minutes, according to the National Safety Council. Children’s bodies heat up three to five times faster than adults, and a child’s body temperature can reach 104 degrees—the point at which heatstroke occurs. A core body temperature of 107 degrees is fatal, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.
