The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) is conducting a death investigation after a 3-year-old child was found unresponsive inside a vehicle in Riverview.
According to HCSO, deputies responded to a home on Emerald Shore Drive around 10:40 p.m. on June 20 after receiving reports of an unresponsive child.
Deputies arrived and learned the child’s father had found the 3-year-old inside a parked vehicle at the home. The child was transported to St. Joseph’s Hospital, where the child was pronounced dead.
“This tragedy underscores a critical danger that we must never take for granted,” Sheriff Chad Chronister said in a release. “A vehicle can reach lethal temperatures within minutes. We urge every parent and caregiver in our community to make hot vehicle safety a priority. Never leave a child unattended in a vehicle, even for a moment.”
HCSO said no charges have been filed at this time and the investigation remains active.