PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. - Parents and lawmakers are making a new push to require all new cars to have an alert system, which they believe can help prevent another child from dying inside a hot car.
Before parents were surrounded by members of Congress at news conference in Washington, D.C. Wednesday, a tragedy was reported at a daycare in Jacksonville after investigators say a baby was left in a van and died.
Police say the baby's mother is the one who found the five-month-old girl. Homicide detectives are investigating and expect charges to be filed.
The infant found Wednesday marked the eighth hot car related death in the country in 2019.
According to KidsandCars.org, Florida ranks second for the number of hot car deaths. Last year, 52 children died across the country making it the deadliest year in the past two decades.
“It’s one of those things where you think it would never happen to you...it’s awful,” said Courtney Roog, who has two kids and always makes sure to check her backseat.
Unfortunately, Miles Harrison has been battling through the pain for nearly 11 years. His son, Chase, died after Harrison forgot to drop him off at daycare in Virginia.
“I stood up and started to go through what I had done that day and then realized, oh my god...oh my god,” said Harrison, while speaking in the nation's capital.
Harrison was acquitted of involuntary manslaughter, and now he's pushing for more technology in vehicles.
As Florida’s scorching summer approaches, the Children’s Services Council of Palm Beach County is pushing awareness.
“It’s important for parents to remember that in just 10 minutes, a car can heat up 19 degrees,” said Jon Burstein, with the Children's Services Council of Palm Beach County. "Leave your purse in the backseat, a wallet or cellphone, something you're going to get before you leave the car."
Story updated to clarify the name of the Children's Services Council of Palm Beach County.
