Local Officers Stress Vigilance Against Heat-related Child Deaths

Across the U.S., 20 children have lost their lives after being left in a vehicle during hot weather.

Pediatric Vehicular Heatstroke is the official term for the result of this tragic oversight.

It's sobering to realize that more of these preventable deaths have happened in Texas than in any other state. Most recently, those deaths have occurred in Brownsville, Galena Park near Houston, San Antonio, and Poteet, which is approximately 30 miles south of San Antonio.

“We haven’t had any of these tragedies in our immediate area this year,” said Tim Monzingo, public information officer for the Lufkin District, which covers 9 Deep East Texas counties.

“Unfortunately, just because it hasn’t happened doesn’t mean it can’t happen, and it can happen to anyone.”

Frequently, the reason for Pediatric Vehicular Heatstroke is something as simple as a memory lapse, where a caregiver, operating on autopilot through their daily tasks, forgets about a child in the vehicle.

This accounts for approximately 53 percent of deaths. Children getting into unattended vehicles without a caregiver knowing accounts for about 24 percent of cases, while a caregiver intentionally leaving a child in a car is behind 22 percent of the fatalities.

“We all know accidents happen, but they are preventable, and it’s particularly important to prevent those that may lead to the death of a child,” said Melissa McKnight, Traffic Safety Specialist for the TxDOT Lufkin District. “If you make it a habit of reminding yourself to check the back seat if you travel with children, it really reduces the chance of a memory lapse.”

To encourage safe habits for those who travel or care for kids, follow the ACT acronym, which stands for Avoid heatstroke-related injuries; Create Reminders; Take action.

“Sharing this information with the people in your life who have kids, or travel with them often, might be critical to preventing a tragedy,” Monzingo said. “That’s something all Texans can get behind.”