MIAMI.- A bill awaiting Governor Ron DeSantis’ signature seeks to raise awareness about the dangers of leaving children unattended in vehicles amidst high temperatures, in response to a series of tragic deaths recorded in recent years due to that situation in Florida.
The legislation, HB 591, aims to make April “Hot Car Death Prevention Month,” while adding criminal penalties for leaving children in vehicles as well as some steps for bystanders to take action in such cases.
Additionally, the rule encourages local governments and agencies such as the Department of Children and Families to hold events to promote public awareness about the dangers of leaving children in vehicles in the heat.
Cases due to high temperature in South Florida
In South Florida, several cases of this nature have occurred in recent times.
In July 2022, a three-year-old boy was found trapped inside a vehicle parked outside a preschool in Miami Gardens. The father, who worked at the same educational center, apparently forgot that his son was in the car.
Temperatures reached 93 degrees Fahrenheit that day, with a heat index as high as 103 degrees Fahrenheit. The child was taken to the hospital, but unfortunately died. His cause of death was hyperthermia due to extreme heat, according to authorities.
Meanwhile, last February two three-year-old twins were found unconscious inside an SUV on I-95, near the Golden Glades interchange.
The mother, who was driving the vehicle, had jumped from the highway with apparent intentions to commit suicide. Both children died in the hospital as a result of the high temperatures, police said.
‘Ley Ariya’
The legislative initiative called ‘Ariya Law’ takes its name from the tragic case of Ariya Paige, a 10-month-old baby who died after being left behind by her babysitter in a van for five hours, on what turned out to be one of the hottest days in July.
Baker County deputies reported that Rhonda Jewell, Ariya’s 48-year-old babysitter, was busy caring for other children in her care and did not remember Ariya remaining inside the vehicle.
After Ariya’s unfortunate death, her relatives addressed legislators with the intention of promoting a law that would prevent future incidents similar to the one Ariya experienced. Pamela and James Paige, the little girl’s grandparents, were at the forefront of this initiative.
Last year, 29 children in the United States died from being left in vehicles exposed to high temperatures. Florida accounted for seven of those deaths, making it the deadliest state in the country.
