It’s hard to fathom how a mother didn’t realize that her toddler was missing.
A Somerset, New Jersey mother left her 2-year-old girl for seven or more hours, in her car, in the hot weather on Tuesday. The temperature was in the 80’s, and hit 90 in the middle of the afternoon.
The child was discovered in the Honda Civic, unconscious, by neighbors, but despite CPR by one of the neighbors, who worked for a local fire department, she was unable to be revived. Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital paramedic units tried as well, but were unsuccessful. The child was declared dead.
Neighbors said that the family seemed loving and that they have another daughter.
Upon discovering from police, who knocked on her door, what had happened, the mother was inconsolable.
“How can that happen? How do you forget? I guess we’re all forgetful, I’ve forgotten things in the car. But how do you forget the toddler, you know? I don’t know,” neighbor Alex Krstavski said.
It is unclear where the mother thought the child was, or what the circumstances were. It remains to be seen if charges will be filed.
Twenty-two deaths of children in hot cars has been record in the US this year. Four deaths have occurred between August 9-16, according to kidsandcars.com.
