By admin 
PHOENIX (AZFamily) — A 2-year-old boy died at a hospital after his parents found him in a vehicle in the Mountain Trails neighborhood Wednesday evening.
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Police identified the child as Marcelino Valdez and said they do not suspect foul play. The cause of death remains under investigation.
Valdez was found in critical condition. Life-saving measures were performed, but he did not survive.
Police said the child was reportedly inside the home when officers arrived, and his parents discovered him in the car. It remains unclear how or why Valdez came to be in the vehicle.
‘It breaks our heart because it doesn’t have to happen’
Janette Fennell, founder of Kids and Car Safety, said situations like this are not uncommon and that the incident is a reminder of the dangers children face when left in hot vehicles.
“Well, obviously, we’re very heartbroken. You know, these types of incidents have been happening for so long,” Fennell said.
Fennell said Arizona currently ranks fourth in the country for child hot car deaths, with more than 50 deaths recorded since 1990. She said one of the most common factors is that parents simply forget a child is in the backseat — a risk that increases when a child is secured in a rear-facing seat out of the driver’s line of sight.
“We have no warnings if children are left behind,” Fennell said. “If you’re a driver and you correctly restrain your child in a rear-facing seat behind you, you can’t tell if there’s a baby in there or not.”
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“It’s a serious issue in Arizona and around the country,” she added.
Temperatures can spike within minutes
Fennell said the danger inside a parked vehicle escalates quickly, particularly during periods of high heat.
“In the first 10 minutes, that temperature can spike as much as 20 degrees, and then it just keeps going up and up from there,” she said.
What parents can do
Fennell said a simple habit can make a life-saving difference. She recommends that every driver open the back door each time they arrive at a destination.
“Anytime you arrive at a destination, just open the back door, doesn’t cost a penny, maybe takes three seconds,” Fennell said.
Other precautions include placing a phone or diaper bag in the back seat as a reminder that a child is present, or making it a routine to check the back seat every time the vehicle is parked.
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