A couple has been left shocked and heartbroken by the death of their two-year-old daughter who was left in the family’s car on a sweltering day.
The little girl may have been left in the backseat of the Honda Civic parked in the family’s driveway for several hours and neighbours say the parents were unaware she was there until police knocked on their door, NBC reported.
A neighbour, who is a firefighter, made the horrific discovery and administered CPR to the unresponsive child who had gone into cardiac arrest.
Ambulances took over from the neighbour in trying to resuscitate the toddler who was later pronounced dead at the scene.
Police arrived at the Franklin Township home in New Jersey around 2:21 pm on Tuesday and tried to console the shocked mother, with footage showing them rocking side to side while hugging tightly.
The unidentified mother was so traumatised by the death, that she had to be taken away by an ambulance as neighbours heard her wailing from a few blocks away.
"They [the parents] were just screaming in pain and anguish. She collapsed to the ground and he [the policeman] went to console her," said a neighbour, who also praised their parenting.
The recorded temperature at 2 pm, just before the toddler was found dead, was around 32C according to the National Weather Service.
Another neighbour was incredulous about the mistake.
"I guess we’re all forgetful, I’ve forgotten things in the car. But how do you forget the toddler, you know? I don’t know," neighbour Alex Krstavski told NBC News.
The car was swiftly towed away and a bouquet of flowers has been left in the driveway to mark the death.
New Jersey Northern Regional Medical Examiner’s Office will be conducting the investigation and the Deputy Chief said no further details will be released while investigators conduct their investigation.
The Kids and Car Safety organisation said there have been 22 hot car deaths across the US this year alone, including Tuesday's incident.
The deputy chief added that it was unclear at the time whether the car had been locked or unlocked, or whether the child had been in a car seat.
