Police say the baby boy was inside the car for two hours here in the parking lot of Superstition Springs Mall off US 60 and Power Road.
And when his mom came out and found him – it was too late. Fire crews attempted resuscitation and transported the infant to a local hospital, but he later died.
The investigation is ongoing and charges have not been filed against the mother.
This is the first reported child hot car death in Arizona to occur 2021, according to Kids and Cars, a nonprofit devoted to children’s and pets’ safety around vehicles.
“You hear about it on the news that it happens to other people,” Jones said. “And it can happen. It can happen so easily.”
Almost two years ago, Jones’ family in Gilbert was getting ready for a vacation when her husband left their 3-year-old daughter Charly in his truck for two to three hours.
Her husband took their two older daughters to school and thought he dropped Charly off at preschool, but when Jones called to check in around lunchtime, they realized she wasn’t with him.
The Centers for Disease Control has explained that it is never safe to leave children and infants unattended in a car in any weather condition, even with the windows left cracked open, according to the Daily Mail. With parents leading busy lives, it’s common to forget something here and there, but forgetting about their children has been shown to be extremely hazardous and sometimes even fatal.
The bill, HR 3164, also known as the Hot Cars Act, passed through the House last month. The same language was also included in SB 2016, or the Surface Transportation Investment Act which is under review in the Senate.