Child Hot Car Deaths Rise in Texas: How to Prevent Them

(Mix 93-1) It's a tragic situation that plays out each summer. It's something that's not exclusive to Texas and is 100% avoidable; yet, it happens all over the country, even in places where it's much less hot and humid.

Leaving children unattended in locked cars.

Why Vehicles Heat Up So Fast

It only takes a few minutes for the interior of a car or truck to heat up to deadly temperatures, even on warm days.

Sadly, 13 children have died so far in 2025 across the US due to heatstroke after being left unattended in a vehicle, according to data from No Heat Stroke.

Of those 13 deaths, three have happened in Texas within the last week. In each of these Texas cases were completely avoidable.

Recent Texas Cases of Hot Car Deaths

One child was left alone in a car in Houston with the windows cracked, with only a bottle of water, according to KPRC, while the mother went inside to work at her job.

Another man left his 3-month-old son alone in a car in Mission, TX. He reportedly told law enforcement he had been drinking and went inside to lie down and forgot his son was in the vehicle. The child was found dead, strapped into his car seat on Saturday.

Then, a daycare worker in Brownsville was recently charged in the death of a 4-year-old child after the were discovered unresponsive in a daycare van, according to NBC 23.

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Now that we're feeling the full brunt of summer with temperatures in the mid to upper 90s coupled with high humidity, it's more important now than ever to check to make sure our precious children are out of the vehicle when we are.

How to Prevent Hot Car Tragedies

If you're the parent of a child who rides in your vehicle, take some precautionary steps when they're with you:

• place a purse, wallet, or cell phone in the back seat
• place a diaper bag in the front passenger seat
• have the daycare notify you if your child has not arrived on schedule

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How Fast Can a Car Become Deadly?

To see how fast your vehicle's interior becomes deadly, check out this chart:

Never leave your parked car unlocked or allow children to play in your car.

Always Look Before You Lock

Above all, whenever you get out of the car, make it a habit to open and look in the back seat before locking your vehicle.