The United States concludes 2025 with a reduction in child deaths caused by extreme heat inside vehicles, but without managing to eradicate one of the most preventable tragedies in child safety. At least 35 children have died this year from heatstroke in cars, according to records from the Kids and Car Safety website, a figure lower than the 41 recorded deaths in 2014, but still painfully close to the historical average. Since systematic monitoring began in 1998, an average of nearly 40 children under the age of 15 die each year in the United States from vehicular heatstroke. The decline observed in 2025 does not represent a definitive turning point, but rather a variation within a curve that has remained stable for decades.

The figures from 2025

The annual tally confirms that the problem persists throughout the country:

Analysis by Jan Null, a certified meteorologist and principal researcher of the phenomenon for San Jose State University, indicates that in more than half of the cases, the child was forgotten inside the vehicle by a parent or caregiver, generally due to changes in routine or memory lapses associated with daily stress.

Five incidents that marked the year

Although 2025 did not register any episodes with multiple simultaneous victims, five cases starkly illustrated the patterns that repeat year after year:

The child's 22-year-old mother was “fully convinced” that she had left him at daycare before going to work at 8:00 am It wasn't until approximately 4:30 pm, At the end of her workday, the woman found the child unconscious in the car. Joseph Boatman, 32, was arrested after allegedly leaving his daughter strapped into a car seat for more than nine hours in Madisonville, Louisiana. The man had consumed several alcoholic drinks before picking up the child from a relative's house. A state-employed worker in Alabama was arrested in connection with the death of 3-year-old Ke'Torrius “KJ” Starkes Jr., who died after being left unsupervised in a car for several hours in the weltering summer heat.The woman was responsible for taking him from daycare to visit his father. After the visit, she forgot to return the toddler to daycare. A 3-year-old girl and her 6-year-old brother were found dead inside a car in Bexar County, Texas. The mother, Tiona Islar, 28, said she fell asleep and found them in the vehicle hours later. A woman identified as Djuna Bostick was arrested on charges of involuntary manslaughter and child neglect after the death of a 7-month-old baby who was allegedly left inside a minivan exposed to extreme temperatures in North Carolina. A risk that knows no region: Although hot car deaths have been reported nationwide, some states have had the highest rates since 1998. Louisiana tops the list, with 36 cumulative deaths and a rate of 4.11 per 100,000 children under 14. Mississippi ranks second with 21 deaths and a rate of 3.82, followed by Oklahoma with 29 deaths since 1998. Arkansas and Alabama complete the top spots, states where June, August, and September account for the highest number of deaths. In Arizona, Phoenix accounts for more than a third of the state's cases, while Florida, despite having the second-highest absolute number of deaths after Texas, ranks seventh in rate. These data reinforce that the problem is not exclusive to the South or the hottest areas, but rather stems from a combination of climate, habits, and lack of prevention. Why do these deaths continue to occur? Research points to three main causes: Unintentional forgetfulness: Most deaths occur when an adult simply forgets a child inside the vehicle, especially in stressful situations or when there are changes in daily routines. Unsupervised access: Children playing near unlocked cars and entering them on their own represent another significant group of victims. Rapid heating: A vehicle can become lethal in minutes. With an outside temperature of 22°C, the inside can reach 47°C in one hour, and 80% of the increase occurs in the first 30 minutes. Deaths have been documented even with sub-zero outside temperatures.

A real decline or a statistical pause?

Although 2025 ended with fewer deaths than the previous year, Experts warn that annual behavior is usually irregular. After the record highs of 2018 and 2019, the numbers dropped, but never disappeared. This year's decline is not due to a structural change, but rather a combination of circumstantial factors and statistical variations. Educational campaigns and vehicle alert systems have increased, but they are not mandatory in all models, which limits their impact.A woman identified as Djuna Bostick was arrested on charges of involuntary manslaughter and child neglect after the death of a 7-month-old baby who was allegedly left inside a minivan exposed to extreme temperatures in North Carolina. A risk that knows no region: Although hot car deaths have been reported nationwide, some states have had the highest rates since 1998. Louisiana tops the list, with 36 cumulative deaths and a rate of 4.11 per 100,000 children under 14. Mississippi ranks second with 21 deaths and a rate of 3.82, followed by Oklahoma with 29 deaths since 1998. Arkansas and Alabama complete the top spots, states where June, August, and September account for the highest number of deaths. In Arizona, Phoenix accounts for more than a third of the state's cases, while Florida, despite having the second-highest absolute number of deaths after Texas, ranks seventh in rate. These data reinforce that the problem is not exclusive to the South or the hottest areas, but rather stems from a combination of climate, habits, and lack of prevention. Why do these deaths continue to occur? Research points to three main causes: Unintentional forgetfulness: Most deaths occur when an adult simply forgets a child inside the vehicle, especially in stressful situations or when there are changes in daily routines. Unsupervised access: Children playing near unlocked cars and entering them on their own represent another significant group of victims. Rapid heating: A vehicle can become lethal in minutes. With an outside temperature of 22°C, the inside can reach 47°C in one hour, and 80% of the increase occurs in the first 30 minutes. Deaths have been documented even with sub-zero outside temperatures.

A real decline or a statistical pause?

Although 2025 ended with fewer deaths than the previous year, Experts warn that annual behavior is usually irregular. After the record highs of 2018 and 2019, the numbers dropped, but never disappeared. This year's decline is not due to a structural change, but rather a combination of circumstantial factors and statistical variations. Educational campaigns and vehicle alert systems have increased, but they are not mandatory in all models, which limits their impact.A woman identified as Djuna Bostick was arrested on charges of involuntary manslaughter and child neglect after the death of a 7-month-old baby who was allegedly left inside a minivan exposed to extreme temperatures in North Carolina. A risk that knows no region: Although hot car deaths have been reported nationwide, some states have had the highest rates since 1998. Louisiana tops the list, with 36 cumulative deaths and a rate of 4.11 per 100,000 children under 14. Mississippi ranks second with 21 deaths and a rate of 3.82, followed by Oklahoma with 29 deaths since 1998. Arkansas and Alabama complete the top spots, states where June, August, and September account for the highest number of deaths. In Arizona, Phoenix accounts for more than a third of the state's cases, while Florida, despite having the second-highest absolute number of deaths after Texas, ranks seventh in rate. These data reinforce that the problem is not exclusive to the South or the hottest areas, but rather stems from a combination of climate, habits, and lack of prevention. Why do these deaths continue to occur? Research points to three main causes: Unintentional forgetfulness: Most deaths occur when an adult simply forgets a child inside the vehicle, especially in stressful situations or when there are changes in daily routines. Unsupervised access: Children playing near unlocked cars and entering them on their own represent another significant group of victims. Rapid heating: A vehicle can become lethal in minutes. With an outside temperature of 22°C, the inside can reach 47°C in one hour, and 80% of the increase occurs in the first 30 minutes. Deaths have been documented even with sub-zero outside temperatures.