Crime & Safety

Police: 8-month-old Baby Left in Hot Car Dies

Child pronounced dead Friday afternoon at Alexandria Hospital.

An 8-month-old baby was pronounced dead at Alexandria Hospital Friday after it was left in a car, according to police.

The baby’s mother, who lives in the city, drove to work in Arlington County Friday morning and did not drop the child at daycare, according to an Alexandria Police Department spokesperson.

UPDATE: Mother Charged in Death

When the mother was driving back to Alexandria in the afternoon, police said she realized the baby was still in the back of the car.

Find out what's happening in Old Town Alexandriawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The mother then drove directly to Alexandria Hospital, where the male child was pronounced dead. Alexandria police arrived at the hospital around 4:20 p.m., according to a WTOP report on the incident.

Arlington County police detectives are conducting an investigation into the incident.

Find out what's happening in Old Town Alexandriawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

In April 2012, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and then-Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood held a press conference in Alexandria to bring attention to a string of child deaths due to heatstroke.

They urged Head Start and childcare providers around the country to be alert to the dangers of leaving children unattended in vehicles and promote a campaign titled “Look Before You Lock.”

With outdoor temperatures in the low 80s, temperatures inside vehicles can reach deadly levels in just 10 minutes. A child’s body can overheat as much as five times faster than an adult, and kids under 4 are at the greatest risk of heat-related illness.

Temperatures climbed above 90 degrees in Arlington County and Alexandria on Friday.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.