Melrose Incident Shows Danger Of Leaving Pets, Children In Hot Cars

MELROSE (CBS) — A toddler accidentally left inside a car has prompted the police chief to warn residents about the dangers of leaving children or pets inside hot cars as summer temperatures soar.

Melrose Police Chief Michael Lyle said he was the first officer on scene to respond to Slayton Road near the Mount Hood Golf Course Playground around 1 p.m. Thursday for a report of a toddler locked inside a car.

A nanny told police that she had accidentally closed the door and left the keys in the console with the toddler she was watching locked inside the car. The nanny told officers that after just a few minutes, the child had gone from smiling and laughing to crying as temperatures rose quickly inside the car.

Police, fire and Stephens Automotive Transport responded and the child was freed within one minute of their arrival. The child was in the locked car for less than 10 minutes. Paramedics evaluated the toddler, who was able to return home.

"The story ended well in this case, and the officers, firefighters and tow operator did an outstanding job, but today showed just how quickly conditions change inside a vehicle," Lyle said in a statement. "I know accidents happen, but I hope all residents will read and appreciate these important safety tips and never intentionally leave a child or a pet inside a hot car."

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 42 children died from vehicular heatstroke in 2017 — a staggering 63 percent increase from 2015.

Heatstroke occurs when a person's core body temperature rises to 104 degrees . A temperature of 107 degrees can result in irreversible organ damage or death. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, young children's bodies heat up three to five times faster than an adult's, putting them at higher risk.

Temperatures inside a car can rise 20 degrees in a matter of 10 minutes. Even on a 60-degree day, temperatures inside a car can reach 110 degrees, and on a hot day, they can get to 125 degrees in minutes.

Most deaths occur when a parent or caregiver forgets a child in a car.

The traffic safety administration urges citizens to note the following safety tips:

• Always check the back seats of your vehicle before your lock it and walk away.
• Keep a stuffed animal or other memento in your child's car seat when it's empty, and move it to the front seat as a visual reminder when your child is in the back seat.
• If someone else is driving your child, or your daily routine has been altered, always check to make sure your child has arrived safely to his/her destination.
• Have your daycare provider call you if your child doesn't arrive.
• If you see a child left in a car, take immediate action. Do not wait for the driver to return or assume that they will be back soon. If the child appears to be in distress, try to get them out of the car immediately, even it means breaking a window and call 911.

Pets should also not be left in cars.

According to the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, pets suffer needlessly when left in hot cars, even on moderately warm days. It can harm your pet and also result in fines and possible prison time for pet owners.