HOUSTON — A 10-month-old girl was left in a hot vehicle for several hours on Friday, May 20, in Houston, according to police. The baby was transported a hospital where she was later pronounced deceased. The outdoor temperature that day was 90 degrees. An investigation is ongoing.

This is the third pediatric vehicular heatstroke death in the U.S. in 2022 and the first in Texas.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, heatstroke is the most serious heat-related illness, and occurs when the body can no longer control its temperature. The body’s temperature rises rapidly, the sweating mechanism fails, and the body cannot cool down. When heatstroke occurs, the body temperature can rise to 106 degrees Fahrenheit or higher within 10 to 15 minutes. Heatstroke can cause permanent disability or death if the person does not receive emergency treatment. A child’s body heats three to five times faster than an adult’s body.

A car’s interior can heat 19 degrees in 10 minutes, according to noheatstroke.org., and temperatures will continue to climb. Cracking a window doesn’t help.

Although pediatric vehicular heatstroke (PVH) deaths have occurred in moderate outdoor temperatures, the highest numbers of deaths occurs during the summer months of July, August and June..

Heatstroke is preventable and to avoid it, remember to ACT:

• Avoid heatstroke-related injury. Never leaving a child alone in a car, even if you think your task won’t take long. Always lock your doors and trunks—including in your driveway or garage. If a child is missing, check the pool and water sources first, then check vehicles, including trunks.
• Create reminders. Keep something in your child’s seat when it’s empty and move it to the front seat as a visual reminder of when your child is in the back seat. Or place and secure your phone, briefcase, or purse in the back seat when traveling with your child.
• Take Action - If you see a child alone in a car, call 911.