Dad Leaves 2-Year-Old Sleeping in Car During Arizona Heat Wave. She Was Later Found Unresponsive and Died
Authorities believe that the child could have been left in the vehicle anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour, and say the investigation is ongoing
A 2-year-old girl died after being left inside of a car alone on Tuesday, July 9, during the ongoing Arizona heatwave.
The Marana Police Department (MPD) said in a statement that initial information revealed the girl's dad "arrived home while she was asleep in the vehicle" and that he "left the vehicle on and running in the driveway, with the air conditioning on" while the child was inside it.
He then went inside. When the child's mother arrived home, "the child was discovered in the vehicle, which was no longer running and the air conditioning was off."
After calling for help, authorities arrived at the scene shortly after 4 p.m. local time.
The child was unresponsive and after attempting to resuscitate her, the child was "immediately transported to the hospital," where she was pronounced dead.
In an update on July 10, police said that on the night the incident occurred, detectives applied for and were granted a search warrant.
When reached for comment by PEOPLE on July 11, a spokesperson said that "at this time, we do not have any additional information to provide other than what we’ve already released via social media."
The investigation is ongoing.
Related: Prevent Hot-Car Deaths: A Checklist for Parents
Per local NBC affiliate KPNX, authorities believe that the child could have been left in the vehicle anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour, but have yet to confirm an exact timeline.
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“We are doing our interviews with the dad, any witnesses, neighbors, to determine if the car was still running, if the AC was still operational," Captain Tim Brunenkant told the outlet. "All we know is it was a hot car and the child was unresponsive, it was very hot, and it’s very tragic."
Temperatures in the area on the day of the incident ranged from 102 to 108 degrees, per the National Weather Service.
Related: What to Know About Hot Car Deaths and How to Avoid Them
Meanwhile in neighboring city Las Vegas, July 10, marked the city's fifth consecutive day of recording temperatures at 115 degrees or greater, according to the Associated Press.
The heat can be incredibly dangerous, especially for those who are more prone to heat-related deaths such as children, older adults, disabled individuals and those who work outside, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
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