Nine-year-old Texas Girl Dies After Hours Alone In Hot Car

HOUSTON, Texas- An innocent 9-year-old girl died last Tuesday after being left in the car while her 36-year-old mother, who has yet to be identified, worked an 8-hour shift at United States Gypsum in Galena Park.

What We Know

It is unclear why the woman left the little girl in the car during her shift, but there aren't any justifications for it at all. Temperatures in Galena Park soared to 97 degrees, and the Houston area is well known for stifling humidity. The mother reportedly left the girl with water and the windows cracked, but that was no match for the Texas heat. The vehicle, a Toyota Camry, sat in full sun with zero shade while the poor girl suffered.

Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said in a press conference that he was unaware if anyone had checked on the little girl for the entire day. The child was in the car from 6 a.m. until 2 p.m., when she was discovered by her mother. Unfortunately, it was too late.

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Heatstroke Among Children

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, approximately 37 children die every year in the United States from heatstroke after being left in the car on a hot day. A/C Pro says that a car can reach temperatures of 30 degrees or more than the temperature outside on a hot day. Even on a more temperate 70-degree day, temperatures in the vehicle can climb to over 110 degrees within an hour.

It is NEVER okay to leave your child in the car alone, and there is no excuse for it. It's simply deadly.

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