Police: Boy, 3, dies in hot car while dad was inside Kalamazoo County grocery store

A three-year-old boy died Tuesday in a car while his father went inside the Family Fare grocery store in Vicksburg, officials say.

Kalamazoo County Undersheriff James VanDyken said in a statement that the death was likely heat-related, making it the 20th hot-car death of a child in the country this year. VanDyken indicated that an investigation is ongoing.

In similar hot-car deaths in recent years, parents who forgot their children have been rarely charged with crimes , though it is unclear if the father will be prosecuted for the death.

According to Kids Car and Safety, an organization dedicated to child well-being around vehicles, 88% of children who die in hot cars are age 3 or younger, and a majority of them, 55%, were left by a forgetful but otherwise loving and responsible parent or guardian.

How to avoid tragedy

According to the National Highway and Traffic Safety Association , a child's body temperature rises three to five times faster than an adult's does, which is why leaving them in hot cars can quickly become lethal. Heatstroke can occur when internal body temperature reaches 104 degrees Fahrenheit. At 107 degrees, a child can die.

Many automakers have responded to hot car deaths by integrating technology to make it harder to forget a child in the car, like rear-seat reminders that pop up on the dashboard. However, many advocates, like Kids Car and Safety, feel they're dragging their feet and not doing enough.

Kids Car and Safety recommends creating habits and routines to prevent forgetting a child in a hot car.

• Always check your car before locking the doors
• Place a diaper bag or toy on the front seat as a reminder that your child is in the car
• Develop a habit of opening the back door every time you park your car, whether or not your child is with you.
• Request that your childcare provider call immediately if your child does not arrive as expected.
• Always keep vehicles locked, especially at home.
• Keep car keys away from children
• Call the police if you see a child locked in a car.

News reporter Liam Rappleye can be reached at LRappleye@freepress.com

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Police: Boy, 3, dies in hot car while dad was inside Kalamazoo County grocery store