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WEST VALLEY CITY — A 2-year-old child accidentally left in a car Thursday afternoon is recovering in a hospital.
West Valley police were called to a home near 1500 West and 2300 South at around 2:30 p.m. When they arrived, the girl was unresponsive.
"There were numerous family members present at the residence at the time, and obviously they were very distraught," said West Valley Police Sgt. Mike Powell.
Emergency responders were able to revive the girl, and police said she was crying when she was transported to the hospital.
People don't realize how fast a hot car can heat up in the summer sun. And even on a 72-degree (Fahrenheit) day, a child can die of hypethermia if left in a hot car.
–Janet Brooks, Primary Children's Medical Center.
The girl's parents told police they left her in the car after getting home from work because she was asleep. When they realized the mistake, they ran outside and found her unresponsive.
"People don't realize how fast a hot car can heat up in the summer sun. And even on a 72-degree (Fahrenheit) day, a child can die of hypethermia if left in a hot car," said Janet Brooks, child advocacy manager at Primary Children's Medical Center.
She and her team baked cookies on the dashboard of a car Thursday evening to demonstrate what the heat can do.
Some parents forget, Brooks said, others just want to shop for a minute without their kids in tow. Either way, the message is: Never leave your child alone in the car.
But the message doesn't seem to be getting through.
"We just caution every adult to take every precaution to avoid this tragedy," Brooks said.
The toddler is in stable condition but is being held at the hospital for observation.
One of the strategies child safety advocates suggest is leaving something you need in the backseat — like your purse or computer — so it's more likely you'll look in the backseat and not forget.
