A three-year-old boy has died after climbing into a neighbor’s unlocked vehicle and becoming trapped inside as temperatures soared.
Jahcari Kash James was discovered unconscious in the overheated car around 3:15 p.m. Friday in Ponchatoula, Louisiana, as the area recorded a sweltering high of 93 F.
Ponchatoula police responded to a home near Methvin Lane, where investigators believe the child left his own residence and got into the nearby parked vehicle.
Relatives realized the toddler was missing and quickly asked neighbors to help search for him.
‘A short time later, the vehicle owner located the child in the driver’s seat of the vehicle, where temperatures were extremely high,’ the department said in a Facebook statement.
‘The child’s family members attempted life-saving measures while awaiting the arrival of emergency services,’ police added.
Jahcari was transported by ambulance to North Oaks Medical Center in Hammond, where he was later declared dead.
Police told the Daily Mail that the medical examiner indicated the child had been inside the car for about 50 minutes.
Jahcari Kash James, 3, and his mother Kadence James, Jahcari died in a sweltering car on Friday
Police say the three-year-old left his home and climbed into a neighbor’s unlocked vehicle before he became trapped inside
The investigation is ongoing, the department said, adding that no further details will be released at this time, and they are not ruling out possible criminal charges.
The department also shared they are awaiting the autopsy results as of Monday morning.
A GoFundMe page was created to help ease the financial burden of funeral expenses and support the grief-stricken family during this tragedy.
‘Kadence James is facing an unimaginable loss after the passing of her beloved son, Jahcari Kash James, who was only three years old,’ the fundraiser said of the boy’s mother.
‘Kadence is now navigating not only the grief of losing Jahcari at such a young age, but also the challenge of caring for her daughter, Ke’manii, while managing the unexpected financial burdens that come with funeral expenses and daily living costs.’
‘To anyone who donates or sends prayers, your kindness is deeply appreciated. Kadence and Ke’manii will forever be thankful for the support and compassion shown to them during this difficult time,’ it read.
Social media tributes poured in for Jahcari as mourning family members shared photos.
‘My heart [is] so broken,’ Syntoria Barnes, who identified himself as the boy’s godfather, wrote on Facebook.
Jahcari and his godmother Desiree Partidge, she shared this photo as tribute for him on Facebook
Ponchatoula police were called to the residence in the area of Methvin Lane (pictured)
‘Fly high my baby boy! Y’all please keep my family in your prayers at this difficult time,’ he added.
Desiree Partirdge, who identified herself as the three-year-old’s godmother, also shared her devastation.
‘I’m so heart broken,’ Desiree Partirdge, who says she is the boy’s godmother, shared to social media. ‘It’s so unreal. I miss you so much godson,’ she added.
Chloe Burke of Kids and Car Safety explained to WBRZ2 just how hot the interior of cars can get during a brutal heatwave.
‘On an 80 degree day, for example, the interior temperature of the car will be 100 degrees in just 10 minutes. So in about an hour, for example, temperatures on the interior of the car can reach 130 or 140 degrees,’ Burke said.
‘Cars have what’s called the greenhouse effect, where they’re able to easily trap heat and not be able to get rid of that heat. With heat stroke in children, their bodies heat up three to five times faster than the bodies of adults,’ she added.
