On a typical Tuesday morning after Labor Day weekend in 2019, Scott Jones went about his day as usual, dropping off his older children at school and returning home to work in Arizona. Little did he know that tragedy would strike that day. After about four hours, Scott’s wife, Angela, called him to check on their youngest child, 3-year-old Charlotte, who they had decided to keep home from preschool that week. However, Scott had forgotten that he had taken Charlotte with him in the truck to drop off her sisters at school. When he returned home and was in autopilot mode, he realized he had left Charlotte alone in the vehicle.
Angela recalled the moment when Scott realized what had happened and ran out to the driveway in a panic. Charlotte, lovingly known as “Charly,” had been left in the truck as the temperature soared to 98 degrees in Arizona that day. Despite Scott calling 911, it was too late, and Charlotte tragically succumbed to the heat.
Unfortunately, the Jones family’s story is not unique. Every year, numerous children in the United States die from being left in hot vehicles, with many cases resulting from parents forgetting their child was in the car. Other factors, such as miscommunication between caregivers, also contribute to these heartbreaking incidents.
Janette Fennell, the founder of Kids and Car Safety, has been compiling data on child hot car deaths since 1990. She notes that approximately 55% of these deaths occur when children are unknowingly left in vehicles. Fennell emphasizes that these tragedies can happen to anyone, regardless of their parenting skills, as multiple factors can align to create a dangerous situation.
While child front car seat deaths have decreased due to safety measures, vehicular heatstroke deaths have remained high. Kids and Car Safety recorded over 1,000 hot car deaths from 1990 to 2023, with a significant number occurring during the summer months. Fennell highlights the importance of awareness and prevention to avoid such tragedies.
Angela Jones, who lost her beloved daughter Charly, has made it her mission to educate parents about the dangers of hot cars and advocate for preventive measures. She emphasizes the need for awareness and sharing stories to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future. By working with organizations like Kids and Car Safety, Angela hopes to raise awareness and push for new car technologies that could prevent these accidents.
Some solutions proposed include installing sensors in vehicles to alert drivers of passengers left inside and placing reminders in the car seat with the child. Angela suggests establishing communication protocols with caregivers and daycares to ensure children arrive safely at their destinations. Additionally, she recommends positioning car seats in a way that allows drivers to easily see the child in the back.
Ultimately, Angela Jones stresses that these tragedies are preventable with increased awareness and proactive measures. By sharing her family’s story and advocating for change, she hopes to spare other families from experiencing similar heartbreak. The key takeaway is that everyone should remain vigilant and take steps to ensure the safety of children in and around vehicles.