12 hours ago
5-year-old Ohio boy dies after being left in hot car, police say
Family urges better technology to help remind drivers of children in back seat of cars
A 5-year-old boy in Mansfield, Ohio, died after being left in a hot vehicle on Thursday, police said.
According to CBS affiliate WBNS, Mansfield Police Chief Jason Bammann said the boy was found unresponsive in the vehicle after being left inside during the extreme heat for "an extended length of time."
Police were reportedly called to Marion Avenue around 3:15 p.m. for a report of an unresponsive child in a vehicle on Thursday. WBNS reported that first responders arrived at the scene and found the boy in his mother's arms. The child was taken to a local hospital, where he died.
Temperatures in Mansfield reached a high of 91 degrees on Thursday.
"Our hearts are heavy for the family of this young child. Any case involving a child carries a deep emotional impact, and this incident is no exception," said Chief Bammann, according to the TV station.
Police are investigating and awaiting the results of the boy's autopsy before the case is presented to the Richland County Prosecutor's Office, WBNS reported. No official charges have been filed as of Friday evening.
Preventing hot car deaths
This is the first hot car death in Ohio in 2025, according to Kids and Car Safety. Advocates have been calling for better safety technology to help prevent hot car deaths.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 39 children died of heatstroke in vehicles in 2024, an increase of 35 percent from 2023.
Officials said a child's body temperature rises three to five times faster than an adult's. Experts remind people to check their vehicles before locking the doors and walking away.
"Over 50% of pediatric vehicular heatstroke deaths are a result of a parent or caregiver forgetting a child in a car," the NHTSA said.
If you ever see a child alone in a vehicle, call 911.
