RIVERVIEW, Fla. — A 3-year-old boy died after being found in a hot car outside a home in Riverview, according to Kids and Car Safety.
The nonprofit said the child died Saturday, June 20.
It marks at least the eighth child hot car death nationwide this year and the second in Florida in 2026, according to the organization.
The first Florida hot car death this year happened March 31 in Winter Haven.
Kids and Car Safety said at least 1,180 children have died in hot cars nationwide since 1990. The organization said at least 7,500 other children have survived with varying types and severities of injuries.
The group said about 86% of children who die in hot cars are 3 years old or younger.
Amber Rollins, executive director of Kids and Car Safety, said technology exists that can help prevent hot car deaths, but a federal safety rule requiring rear-seat occupant detection technology in new vehicles is overdue.
“We are committed to the push for occupant detection technology in all cars immediately,” Rollins said in a statement. “As we continue our advocacy, children continue to die. It is beyond heartbreaking.”
Kids and Car Safety is urging parents and caregivers to build simple habits to help prevent children from being left alone in vehicles.
The organization recommends placing a child’s diaper bag or another child-related item in the front passenger seat as a visual reminder.
Parents can also place something they need for the day, such as a phone, employee badge, laptop or handbag, in the back seat to build a habit of checking the rear of the vehicle.
The group also recommends asking childcare providers to call right away if a child does not arrive as expected.
Caregivers should clearly communicate who is responsible for getting each child out of a vehicle, the organization said.
Kids and Car Safety also warns that children can climb into parked vehicles and become trapped.
The organization recommends keeping vehicles locked at all times, keeping keys out of children’s reach, using childproofing knob covers and door alarms, and teaching children to honk the horn or turn on hazard lights if they become stuck inside a vehicle.
If a child is missing, the organization says people should immediately check inside vehicles, including floorboards and trunks, even if the vehicles are locked.
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