Child dies in Louisiana after being left in car amid hot weather
A 21-month-old girl died Sunday after being left alone inside a vehicle in Louisiana over the weekend, St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office confirmed.
Joseph Boatman of Hammond, Louisiana, has been arrested and charged with second-degree murder, according to the sheriff's office. Boatman picked up his daughter from a family member around 2:30 a.m. Sunday, and left her strapped in her car seat while he went inside his residence. The child was inside the vehicle for over nine hours and was unresponsive when sheriff's deputies arrived at the scene around midday Sunday.
Temperatures in the area were in the 80s throughout Sunday morning, with AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures in the 90s. Temperatures were likely significantly higher in the vehicle where the glass windows create a greenhouse effect. Hammond is located about 45 miles northwest of New Orleans.
"This is a devastating loss that no family ever wants to face," Sheriff Randy Smith said in a press release. "This case involved compromised judgment, and the result was heartbreaking."
The incident is at least the fifth child to die in a hot car in the United States so far in 2025, according to Kids and Car Safety.
Since 1990, over 1,100 children have died in hot cars across the country. The vast majority of the victims, nearly 9 in 10, are under the age of 3. In over half of all fatal cases, children were unknowingly left behind by a parent or caregiver. Experts stress that it can happen to anyone, regardless of routine, background or intentions.
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