‘Devastating’: NC drivers warned as child, pets die in hot cars; arrests made in Wake, Harnett Counties

RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — A warning to drivers in central North Carolina as we see several cases in our area involving kids and pets in hot cars.

On Wednesday, the Wake County Department of Health and Human Services held a demonstration showing how these incidents can have devastating results.

Deadly temperatures

The remains of a French bulldog named Tori were recently found in Harnett County after deputies said a FedEx delivery driver stole the dog.

Investigators believe that Tori died from heat-related issues as she traveled inside the FedEx truck during his route. On that July 7 day, the high was only 88 degrees.

“Bulldogs, French bulldogs and any of those short nose breeds, pugs and all that, they don’t breathe well on normal days and normal weather when it’s not hot,” said Dr. Jennifer Federico, Director of Wake County Animal Services. “These dogs do not do well in heat.”

Dr. Federico attended the Wake County DHHS event Wednesday. She used her dog, Miller, as an example to help pets cool down and not leave them in the car if it’s hotter than 70 degrees.

How hot can it actually get?

County health officials had several demonstrations available, including s’mores melting on the dashboard and a temperature comparison inside and outside the car.

After about 30 minutes, the chocolate was melting and the marshmallows were starting to toast.

We’ve seen triple digit temperatures this summer in central North Carolina. In one study from San Jose University, car temperatures can climb almost 20 degrees in 10 minutes from just 95 degrees to 114 degrees.

Wake county officials say these demonstrations show how leaving children in the car can also be devastating, after an 8-year-old girl died in North Carolina this summer.

“Children can’t sweat as easily as an adult would, so it’s harder for their bodies to cool down,” explained Dauline Singletary, Maternal and Child Health Section Manager with the Wake County DHHS. “When you think about a child being left in the car, even it it’s just for a minute or even moment, it can lead to a fatality. It’s devastating.”

According to the National Safety Council , 29 children across the country died in 2023 after they were left in a hot car. That number is up to 14 so far in 2024, including the one in North Carolina.

To prevent future incidents, Singletary also brought awareness to new technology offered in vehicles and car seats.

One of these developments is that those with newer model vehicles will send drivers a message asking them to check their backseat before leaving the vehicle.

“This technology shows that simple reminders can be very helpful with saving a child’s life,” she said.

For those with older cars, Singletary said there are other options available.

“When you look at certain car seats, there are certain brands now where you can attach a piece to the car so the car is aware that the car seat is in the back,” she explained.

To help people ‘look before they lock,’ Singletary suggests the acronym, ACT:

• A: Avoid leaving a child in the car
• C: Create reminders to remember that a child may be in the car
• T: Take action if you see a child left in the car

Arrests and charges

Within a span of 10 days this summer, Dr. Federico said three people in Wake County have been charged with animal cruelty for leaving dogs in hot cars.

“I’ve never seen this many cases in such a few amount of days,” she said. “The last dog that died, it was seen with its head out the window and its paws out the window, and it was dead because it was trying to breathe. This is what we’re seeing, and I’m sharing this because this should not be happening.”

The man who deputies say stole French bulldog Tori, 44-year-old Kimani Joehon Marshall, is also charged with animal cruelty, along with larceny of a dog and possession of stolen property.

FedEx provided the following statement to CBS 17 regarding the incident:

“We extend our deepest sympathies to the family on the loss of their beloved pet. We understand the importance of people’s pets in their lives and deeply regret the pain that this has caused. The driver is no longer providing service on behalf of FedEx.”

FedEx Media Relations

Anyone who sees a pet or a child in a hot car is asked to call 911.

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