The heat this summer has been extreme in some locations across the United States. It has also led to the deaths of more than a dozen children.
So far this year, 14 kids have died of heatstroke after being left inside hot cars. Four deaths were reported this week alone.
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Most of the children were left unattended inside a vehicle by a parent or caregiver. In two cases, however, the children got into the vehicles on their own and never made it out.
In Hibbing, Minnesota, twin 3-year-old boys were found unconscious inside a locked car about an hour-and-a-half after being reported missing from their home. One died at the hospital and the other survived.
In Maple City, Kansas, a 2-year-old boy was found in a truck after his mother put him down for a nap. Police say the boy managed to unlock the home's front door and then climbed into the family vehicle. The mother found him unconscious and he later died of extreme heat exposure.
The other deaths include a 5-year-old in Springfield, Virginia and a 7-month-old boy in Mesa, Arizona. In both cases, authorities said the children were left in cars by their parents.
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Three deaths were reported in August, six deaths were reported in June and one death was reported in April.
According to KidsAndCars.org, which tracks hot car deaths, an average of 39 children die of vehicular heatstroke every year. The deadliest year was 2018, when 54 kids died in hot cars. More than half of the deaths occur when the child is left unknowingly in the vehicle, according to the organization.
Even with the windows cracked, the temperature inside a car can reach 125 degrees in a matter of minutes. The "greenhouse effect" in vehicles causes the temperature to rise dramatically in just 10 minutes.
To make sure your child is never left alone in a car, officials recommend making it a habit to open the back door every time you park. To enforce the habit, put something in the back seat that you can't start your day without, like your phone, wallet, purse, employee badge, etc. You could also place your child's diaper bag or another item in the front passenger seat as a visual cue that the child is with you.
If you see a child alone in a vehicle, don't be afraid to get involved and call 911 immediately.
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