A six-month-old baby boy was found dead in the backseat of a hot car in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, after his parent forgot to take him to daycare, according to authorities. The incident occurred on Tuesday, July 30, 2024, as temperatures climbed to 94 degrees Fahrenheit, with a heat index reaching as high as 112 degrees.
The East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office reported that the child, identified as Weston Crowdus, was left in the vehicle for hours before being discovered unresponsive around 5:46 p.m. “The parent accidentally forgot to drop the baby off at daycare and went to work,” a spokesperson from the sheriff’s office stated.
Upon attempting to pick up the child from daycare, the parent realized the oversight and found the infant still in the car. A spokesperson from the Sheriff’s Office emphasized that the loss of a child is a profound tragedy and reiterated their commitment to uncovering all the facts related to this incident. This case has sparked renewed discussions about the necessity for increased awareness and preventive measures to protect children from the dangers of hot cars.
Children’s bodies heat up three to five times faster than adults, making them especially vulnerable to the dangers of hot cars. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, even with outside temperatures in the mid-70s, the interior of a car can heat up to 105 degrees Fahrenheit within just 10 minutes.
This case marks the latest in a series of hot car deaths across the United States, with at least 16 children dying from heat-related incidents this year alone. Since 1990, over 1,100 children in the U.S. have died from heatstroke in vehicles, with 88% of the victims being three years old or younger, according to data from KidsAndCars.org.
The East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office has confirmed that an autopsy is being conducted to determine how long the child was left in the car. The investigation is ongoing, and authorities have not yet filed any charges against the parent.
Safety experts emphasize the importance of checking the backseat before leaving a vehicle and encourage reminders, such as placing an essential item like a phone or purse next to the car seat. Other recommendations include visual reminders like stuffed animals or safety tools to alert caregivers when a child remains in the vehicle.