Child Dies in Hot Car

A 18-month-old child died Thursday after being found in a hot, locked car, police said.

Police started searching for the boy when his family reported him missing. An officer found the child in a car near the 2900 block of McKinley Avenue near 29th Street just before 1 p.m.

Police spokesman Sgt. Chad Mahaffey said that the boy’s parents, who both work night shifts, had called police after waking up and finding their son gone, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported. According to dispatch information, a 911 call was received regarding a missing child at about 12:30 p.m.

Mahaffey said the boy’s grandmother, who typically watched the child in the morning while the parents slept, had apparently left the residence at about noon to visit the nearby home of another family member. The child had been asleep when she left, Mahaffey said.

A short time later, the parents woke up, couldn't find their child and noticed that the front door was unlocked.  An officer then noticed a small step-stool next to a car parked in the neighbor's driveway. Upon further investigation, the child was found inside and unresponsive.

The child was rushed to a cooler environment while waiting for an ambulance. The boy was transported to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

According to police, no charges have been filed. Investigators said the child's death appeared to be a tragic accident.

"It's important to note right now that although we are in the preliminary stages, there's no indication of foul play yet that we've uncovered," Mahaffey said.

Police said curious children need to be watched every second.

"It's a just a reminder for everyone that as we enter the summer months, that vehicles with their windows rolled up and children or pets inside -- it's a fatal combination," Mahaffey said.

At 1 p.m., the temperature in Fort Worth was 91 degrees.  Studies of temperatures in enclosed cars shows that in a one-hour period temperatures can rise by as much as 43 degrees.

The child is the sixth to die in a hot car in the United States this year. It is the second such case in North Texas this year.

San Francisco State University researchers studied deadly cases from 1998 through 2009. According to the study, the child was mistakenly left in the vehicle by a caregiver in 51 percent of the time. Thirty percent of the cases involved unattended children playing in a vehicle.

NBC DFW's Scott Gordon contributed to this report.