Authorities in Harris County, Texas, are investigating the tragic death of a 9-year-old girl who was found dead inside a hot vehicle on Tuesday in Galena Park.

The incident occurred in the private employee parking lot of USG, a major manufacturer of industrial and construction products, located in the 1200 block of Mayo Shell Road.

According to Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez, the girl's mother brought her daughter with her when she went to work for her shift that started at 6 a.m. For reasons that remain unclear, she decided to leave the girl in the car with some water, the windows partially open, and sunshades in place to block out the sun.

The girl reportedly remained inside the vehicle until approximately 2 pm, when the mother's shift ended. Upon returning, the woman found her daughter unconscious and immediately called emergency services.

"We don't know if anyone checked on the child during the day," Sheriff Gonzalez said during a press conference. Authorities received the call around 2:06 pm

The mother was arrested at the scene and, according to Gonzalez, will likely face criminal charges. "You can understand her situation," the sheriff said, while acknowledging that it is still unknown if childcare-related difficulties led the mother to that decision. However, he emphasized, “It is never acceptable to leave a child in the car.”

The case remains under investigation by Harris County detectives.