A 9-month-old girl is dead after being left inside a car in Brevard County Monday afternoon.
Police believe the child's father left her in the car while he was at work.
A call came in about the child in the car around 4:45 p.m. at 556 Barton Blvd. The girl was found inside her father's vehicle outside his workplace.
The baby girl was found unresponsive. Police said the girl was in the car for "a couple of hours." She was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.
“I don’t know if it’s accidental at this point," Lt. Donna Seyferth with Rockledge police. "It’s a little premature."
The Department of Children and Families has been called in connection to the case.
No charges have been filed.
A makeshift memorial has been erected at the site. Neighbors brought stuffed animals and balloons to mourn the girl.
Heat-Related Illness Symptoms
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released new warnings just Monday, reminding people not to leave children or pets in closed vehicles, especially during the summer.
A closed car can be like an oven. Even if it's comfortable outside, being left in a car over an extended period of time can be extremely dangerous.
According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, within the first 10 minutes the temperature in an enclosed vehicle will rise 19 degrees.
So if it's 90 degrees outside, within 10 minutes it will be 109 degrees inside the car.
These are the warning signs for Heat Exhaustion and Heat Stroke:
Heat Exhaustion
- Heavy sweating
- Weakness
- Cold, pale, and clammy skin
- Fast, weak pulse
- Nausea or vomiting
- Fainting
Heat Stroke
- High body temperature (above 103°F)*
- Hot, red, dry or moist skin
- Rapid and strong pulse
- Possible unconsciousness
In all cases, it's important to get to a cooler location and try to reduce your body temperature. In the case of heat stroke, the CDC advises that you call 911 immediately and get medical help.