10-year-old boy dies after walking in extreme heat on Arizona trail, police say

PHOENIX — Hours after a child collapsed along a hiking trail in Phoenix Tuesday, police said the boy has died.

According to Phoenix Fire Capt. Shaun DuBois, crews were called around 2 p.m. to one of the South Mountain trails for reports of a minor experiencing heat-related issues.

The child, identified as a 10-year-old boy, was found about a mile further down the trail.

DuBois said the child was then taken off the trail and to the hospital by helicopter.

“Early reports suggest that (the child) was here with family members who may have been from out of town, and they may have been hiking the trail around 9:30 a.m.,” DuBois said.

Shortly before 9 p.m., Phoenix police said the boy died at the hospital. He has not been identified.

Heat Risks When Hiking in Arizona in Summer

“As a parent, I’m really sorry for what happened,” witness Mark Sakowicz said. “That’s your responsibility. I think it depends on the parents’ intentions. They want to give their child a good time and keep them away from electronic devices. As adults, we have to make good choices, and today, it’s probably not the right choice to go out in this heat.”

Tuesday was a rather warm day for the Phoenix area.

According to National Weather Service officials, Sky Harbor reported a morning low of 92°F, breaking the previous record of 90°F set in 2010, and nine degrees warmer than the normal low of 83°F.

The maximum temperature reached 113°F, six degrees above average.

Phoenix Fire urges caution when hiking.

“Some of these trails on South Mountain are quite difficult. They’re quite long and if you’re an inexperienced hiker, maybe coming from out of town, you may not be aware of the level of difficulty or the difficulty of these trails,” said Capt. DuBois.

While there are hiking trails in the Phoenix area that close when temperatures exceed 105°F, South Mountain is not one of them.