A boy of just 5 years old died this Wednesday in San Antonio, Texas, after being locked for hours in a hot car. His 22-year-old mother was “absolutely convinced” she had dropped him off at daycare before heading to work, authorities said.

According to the San Antonio Police Department, the young mother regularly dropped her son off at Pinnacle Kids' Academy daycare in San Antonio before heading to her workplace, which is “right next door” to the children's center.

On Wednesday around 8:00 am, the mother drove to work believing she had already dropped off her 5-year-old boy at daycare, while the toddler remained in the backseat of the vehicle, authorities said.

It wasn't until approximately 4:30 pm, at the end of her workday, that the woman picked up her son from daycare. There, staff informed her that the child had not been left at the center that day.

“It was then that she realized she had left him in the vehicle,” police said in a statement.

The woman immediately returned to her car and found the child still in her seat, unresponsive. Paramedics quickly responded, but were only able to confirm the child's death.

Ongoing Investigation

Homicide detectives and police supervisors respond to the scene to begin an investigation that will determine if the death was accidental or if there are elements that warrant criminal charges. As of Thursday, no arrests had been made and the case remains open.

“This is an extremely tragic situation,” said San Antonio Police Chief William McManus, who described the child's family as “quite distraught.”

McManus took the opportunity to remind the community of the importance of always checking the back seat before exiting the car. “This serves as a tragic reminder: check the back seat and do not leave children or pets in the vehicle, especially here in South Texas,” she emphasized.

At this time, police have not released the names of either the mother or the child while the investigation continues and support is provided to the family affected by this devastating loss.

The Silent Danger of Hot Cars

According to Kids and Car Safety, an organization dedicated to preventing these incidents, nearly 40 children die each year in the United States from being trapped in hot cars, which equates to approximately one death every nine days.

Experts note that the temperature inside a vehicle can rise more than 40 degrees in just one hour, even if the temperature outside does not seem extreme. This can lead to fatal heatstroke in a matter of minutes.