No charges yet, 2-year-old victim

COBB COUNTY, GA – Cobb County police held a news conference late Wednesday morning to discuss the death of a toddler found inside a car in unincorporated Marietta Tuesday evening.

Police say the child was found shortly before 7 p.m. on Wanda Circle. The 2-year-old boy was taken to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Police said Tuesday evening they believe the child was in the vehicle for an “extended period of time.” They said Wednesday they did not know how long the child was in the car before being discovered.

Cobb County Police Chief Stuart VanHoozer said it will take time to determine the facts in the case.

Police also said the boy was not left in the car but did not explain how he ended up there.

A cause of death was also not released, but the police chief described it as a “hot car death” and Sergeant Smith said the “ambient temperature” on Tuesday was about 90 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cobb County police said during a news conference that no criminal charges have been filed at this time.

Chief Stuart VanHoozer appealed to the community to show kindness and support to the family.

“We have time to get the facts straight in this case and we will do what is right. We don’t know right now if criminal charges are warranted or if outrage is warranted, but we do know that support is warranted,” Chief VanHoozer said.

VanHoozer said with high temperatures predicted throughout the holiday weekend, it is a tragic reminder for families to remain vigilant.

“This is just one example of things that can go wrong, but there are others,” he said. “We just ask people to be aware of it and be careful.”

Hot Car Deaths in Georgia

Kids and Car Safety says this is the sixth child to die in a hot car nationwide this year and the first in Georgia. It also says 46 children have died in hot cars in Georgia since 1993, making Georgia the 5th state with the most child deaths in hot cars.

The organization also reported that since 1990, 1,089 children have died in overheated cars nationwide, and at least 7,500 have survived with injuries of varying types and severity.

Safety tips for parents and guardians

Develop simple habits that will help you keep your child safe:

• Make sure your child is never left alone in the car.
• Place a diaper bag or other baby item on the front passenger seat as a visual cue that your baby is with you.
• Get into the habit of opening your back door every time you park to make sure no one gets left behind. To practice this habit, place an item you can’t start your day without in the backseat (work badge, laptop, phone, purse, etc.)
• Ask the person responsible for your child to call you back immediately if your child does not arrive at the scheduled time.
• Clearly announce and confirm who is taking each child out of the vehicle. Miscommunication can lead to thinking someone else has taken the child.

Make sure children do not have access to your parked car:

• Always keep vehicles locked, especially in the garage or driveway. Ask neighbors and guests to do the same.
• Never leave car keys within the reach of children.
• Use doorknob covers and childproof door alarms to prevent children from leaving your home unnoticed.
• Teach children to honk their horn and turn on their hazard lights if they are stuck in the car.
• If a child goes missing, immediately and thoroughly check the interior, floor and trunk of all vehicles in the area, even if they are locked.