Toddler found in truck died of hyperthermia

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By Beth Boehne

Story Created: Jul 17, 2008 at 6:55 PM EDT

Story Updated: Jul 17, 2008 at 6:55 PM EDT

GREEN OAK TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — Preliminary autopsy results show an 18-month-old girl died of hyperthermia after being left unattended inside a pickup truck for more than two hours.

Police and firefighters from Livingston County's Green Oak Township found the girl's 26-year-old mother performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation on her unconscious daughter about 4:30 p.m. Wednesday. They took over CPR but the girl was pronounced dead at the scene.

The truck was parked outside the family home with its motor off and windows rolled up. The outdoor temperature in nearby Howell was 88 degrees at the time.

Police Chief Bob Brookins says either the mother or the girl's 29-year-old father were at home the entire time the toddler was in her child seat, and both parents were home when she was discovered. He says they have cooperated with investigators.

Monday, Jul 21 at 7:59 AM Mother of 2 little ones wrote ...

How awful! I don't know how any parent can neglect their children. They are your 1st and most important priority - no ifs, ands, or buts.....No excuses the parent should face the penalty involved.

Monday, Jul 21 at 2:45 AM Don't Judge wrote ...

Just imagine if this was to happen to one of us?At some point in time we have all made a pure unjustifiable mistake.Lets please leave the judging to GOD and save our words for the prayers we should all be saying for this family and child.REALLY JUST THINK ABOUT IT,HONESTLY.

Sunday, Jul 20 at 7:45 PM Jen wrote ...

Accident or not, these parents need to be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. NO ONE doesn't know the whereabouts of their small child for 2 hours!

Sunday, Jul 20 at 5:57 PM bye from YouNews TV wrote ...

I don't give a care how close you are to this family "Family Friend" How do we even know you are even really a family friend? And if you weren't a family friend you would probably think the same thing. And how do we know that the father did not do this on purpose? I agree that he should be charged with murder. And family friend. In case you haven't noticed. NOBODY CARES WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY!

Sunday, Jul 20 at 11:27 AM Anonymous wrote ...

I really hope that Friend of the Family doesn't have any kids. Or pets for that matter

Sunday, Jul 20 at 10:50 AM Kim wrote ...

I have a 3 yr old little girl. I never ever do that to her if she is sleeping in the car i take her out of the carseat and put her in her bed and she still be sleeping. Now for this MOTHER need to be HUNG or put to death that mother was stuped to do that to her child.

Sunday, Jul 20 at 9:34 AM Kit Kat wrote ...

Friend of the Family - Wednesday is a day the kids are at daycare? Both parents are home and they send their children to day care?

Sunday, Jul 20 at 5:55 AM Robertnowicki833@comcast.net wrote ...

My children's ages are 21,14,10, and 8. That's what the saying "Do you know where your children are?" !! I'm a good mom, because I'm always thinking of my kids every second of every day. What kind of a mother doesn't think about her child, oh, that sickens me.

Sunday, Jul 20 at 3:52 AM Anonymous wrote ...

Hypothermia is when the body gets too cold Hyperthermia is when it gets too hot. Notice the spellings are different.

Saturday, Jul 19 at 7:52 PM Enough is enough already wrote ...

Sorry, "friend of the family" but your story doesn't impress me. I raised two small children and never had anyone around to make sure I was responsible. Silly me, I thought that was part of being an adult, and a parent. Shame on them for the "accident" of allowing other things to supercede the importance of their duty as a parent. And shame on you for reading these posts if you are going to be offended when good people are outraged by BAD parents.

Saturday, Jul 19 at 7:07 PM Anonymous wrote ...

It is hard to imagine how such a horrile thing could have happened. How can you lose track of the child, and I can't imagine what this child suffered before her death. Lesson learned the hard way. DON'T leave children or pets in a hot car! I do feel terrible for the parents. My prayers are with them.

Saturday, Jul 19 at 6:30 PM EMT wrote ...

How on earth can you be so stupid to leave a child in a vehicle in your OWN driveway on a 88 degree day.I realize it could possibly be a mistake but only if you are a complete moron.The truly sad part is now this little girl will not grow up and experience all that her life had to offer.I personally think the parents should be locked in the same vehicle for the same amount of time and lets see how that works out for them.

Saturday, Jul 19 at 5:46 PM heyyou wrote ...

i have done this, pull up at home, kid is sleeping and just leave them in there. but i always leave the van door open, both of them

Saturday, Jul 19 at 5:45 PM Nadine H. wrote ...

why does this have to happen????

Saturday, Jul 19 at 5:16 PM parent wrote ...

as a parent...it can only take one mistake. that is why it is called and accident. i feel sorry for these parents. what we say you know they have thought..the what ifs..they have to live with the rest of there lives. as a parent i have lost a child..i do not wish that pain on anyone!

Saturday, Jul 19 at 3:32 PM reichen wrote ...

As a pet lover ,and not a father...i can honestly say...i just do not understand. I recently bought two beautiful kittens. No,they are not human beings. They are something i have to nurture and care for,kinda like kids. I have to watch them carefully,making sure they don't do anything that could hurt them.How can parents be "uninvolved"?

Saturday, Jul 19 at 10:09 AM SS wrote ...

Dear friend of the family, I would really like to believe that this child was not the victim of negligence, but I did not read about a fire or health emergency in the news, leading me to believe that someone was just careless. A parent is the tether to life at that age. A parent must act as if their child is a physical part of themselves. What are these circumstances that could make a parent forget their toddler in a vehicle for even 15 minutes, but 2 hours?

Friday, Jul 18 at 11:33 PM A Mother of 6 from Goshen wrote ...

How did he not realize that he only dropped one child off at daycare? Nobody noticed that one of the children wasn't there? I don't know. As a mother, I just don't understand how you lose track of such a small child. At that age, the child cannot be responsible for themselves. So, you have to be extra responsible. You are who those children depend on for everything. My prayers are with the family, and God bless that little child.

Friday, Jul 18 at 6:54 PM Common Sense wrote ...

It's NOT OK to leave a child unattended in a car. Ever. Just like it's NOT OK to leave them in the bath tub, but kids drown every day, too, because their parents think it won't happen to them.

Friday, Jul 18 at 5:34 PM oh my wrote ...

i'm sorry but I have never forgotten about my child for more than 2 minutes....she is ALWAYS around me...ALWAYS....she is only 3 years old

Friday, Jul 18 at 5:23 PM Friend of the Family wrote ...

Wednesday is a day in which the children are in daycare. Which his other son was there, so going around the house and not checking on a child who you don't think is even there wouldn't make sense. If you thought your kid was at school, would you look around the house for him or her? Two hours is just an amount of time. It would have been three if the mother hadn't came home from work for another hour. And honestly, anything more that 30-35 minutes would have been too late

Friday, Jul 18 at 5:07 PM A Mother of 6 from Goshen wrote ...

I guess I don't understand how a person could lose track of their toddler like that for 2 hours. Don't you wonder where they are? Forgetting to get your child out of your vehicle is one thing. I've done that. But, for 2 hours? I think that's a little ridiculous. I've suddenly realized my child isn't around and found them in their room sleeping, but it's never been 2 hours. I guess the big thing that gets me is the 2 hour thing. That is a HUGE amount of time to not know where your toddler is.

Friday, Jul 18 at 4:14 PM Friend of the Family wrote ...

The point is that this is an accident that turned into tragedy, a life changing one at that. For people to keep saying blasfamous things like "hang these peope", or "lock them in jail for life" is just wrong. Anyone can be big behind a computer screen. Take a second to put yourself in that situation, instead of just posting immediate angry thoughts. This is truely a sad occurance to good people.

Friday, Jul 18 at 4:01 PM Friend of the Family wrote ...

She was left by accident. Like I said before, there was a handful of horrible things that all came together at the same time and the ultimate price was paid. Father accidently leaves baby in truck, distractions happen, he doesn't park his truck in the garage, hottest day of the year, it happened at home where people couldn't see this,.....you see? What if this had happened except he parked in the garage? He would have learned am important lesson without the life of his daughter taken.

Friday, Jul 18 at 3:03 PM A mother of 6 from Goshen wrote ...

To "Friend of the Family", help us understand the situation. Was she left there by accident, as in he got home, was distracted and forgot he had her with him? Or was she napping in the truck, they got home, he didn't want to wake her, then got busy and forgot she was out there?

Friday, Jul 18 at 2:52 PM dk wrote ...

oh hyperthermia...never heard of it until today. My mistake.

Friday, Jul 18 at 2:50 PM dk wrote ...

It's like 90 degrees in South Bend. How does somebody die of hypothermia? In 88 degree weather? Is this a joke? Who wrote this story?

Friday, Jul 18 at 1:48 PM Anonymous wrote ...

Good parents doesn't mean smart parents.

Friday, Jul 18 at 1:02 PM Friend of the Family wrote ...

No, they shouldn't be hung. There was no intent to do anything. I am close to this family and the pain is something that'll won't ever go away for the rest of their lives. The father made the worst possible mistake, on the hotest day of the year. What if it would have been raining out and not very hot? It was a horrible mistake at the worst possible time. That is a tradgedy. They don't deserve to be "hung" Traci. It's easy for you to say things like that about people you don't know.

Friday, Jul 18 at 12:35 PM crazy wrote ...

Stupid parents for keeping the window rolled up with a child sleeping, they should be charged with Murder rather than neglect. It's just common sense not to do that.

Friday, Jul 18 at 11:21 AM traci wrote ...

People like this should be HUNG!

Friday, Jul 18 at 12:22 AM Anonymous wrote ...

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/why-are-good-parents-forgetting-their-kids-in-hot-cars.html This even proves that good parents have made this mistake. I pray, I may never make a mistake so badly it takes my childs life. please read it happens more than you think, had tips for parents. Hey even a DR. DID IT AND OTHER HIGH PROFILE PEOPLE. God be with the people in this family

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