A 3-year-old boy in Modesto, California almost became the latest hot car victim this year.
Reported missing, even the deputies from the county sheriff and officials with the local police and fire departments couldn't find him after 30 minutes of searching.
He was eventually found - in a parked car in front of the house.
By that time, he was unresponsive, with a core body temperature of 105.
That's why if your child is missing, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children states that you should check your car, including the trunk, in addition to other places a child may crawl or hide.
Where should you check first? The Consumer Product Safety Commission advises that "If a child is missing, look for him or her in the pool or spa first."
And do a thorough check. The child in Modesto was lying on the floorboard in the backseat, so he might have been missed if someone had done a quick check of the car earlier.
Most people think of the worst things that could happen in situations like this is that a stranger took the child, but more commonly, the worst thing could be that the child is found too late in a pool or hot car.
Fortunately, this 3-year-old in California was found in time. Hospitalized overnight, he was much better by the next day.
His story is a good reminder to check high-danger areas when a child is missing. Check nearby pools, hot tubs, ponds, cars (including the trunk), and old refrigerators, etc. You might also look inside closets, under beds, and any other place that your child likes to hide, but if you can't find him after a quick search, call your local law enforcement agency for extra help.
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