Day care teachers mourn late 5-year-old boy who was left in hot car in Mansfield
Share this @internewscast.com

The boy was the “funniest little kid” who was playful and a big fan of snack time, according to one teacher.

In Columbus, Ohio, a tragic incident occurred on Thursday afternoon when a 5-year-old boy was declared dead after being left in his mother’s car in a Mansfield parking lot.

Police responded to a parking lot on Marion Avenue around 3:15 p.m. and found the child, unresponsive in his mother’s arms.

The young child had been in the vehicle since approximately 6:30 a.m., enduring about nine hours inside. The temperature in Mansfield soared to a high of 91 degrees that day.

Olivia Kidd said she has not stopped crying since finding out the young boy was one of her kindergartners and day care students.

“My heart is just broken,” Kidd said.

She said the little boy, who police have not yet identified, was the “funniest little kid” who was playful and a big fan of snack time.

“He would tell me he loved me every day,” she expressed. “I will deeply miss seeing him at school next year, attending all his events, watching him play T-ball. I can’t understand how I could forget him. Truly, I will remember him in every aspect of life.”

The child would have entered first grade in the fall.

Perrell Cameron and Jessica Phillips cared for the child in day care since he was a baby, before he moved on to kindergarten.

“I have been looking at pictures all night, all morning. Just to know it was him is so sad because he was so energetic, so loving. For being 5 years old, he was so sweet,” Cameron said.

“He was a wonderful child. He really was,” Phillips said.

Reminders for parents and caregivers during hot days

Police are reminding parents to check their backseats before they get out of a car.

The Mansfield child’s death is the ninth hot car-related death in the nation this year, according to the nonprofit organization Kids and Car Safety.

Fifty-five percent of hot car related deaths happen when a child is unknowingly left in a car, the nonprofit says.

To prevent this from happening, Kids and Car Safety recommends implementing these habits:

  • Make sure your child is never left alone in a car.
  • Place the child’s diaper bag or item in the front passenger seat as a visual cue that the child is with you.
  • Make it a habit of opening the back door every time you park to ensure no one is left behind. To enforce this habit, place an item that you can’t start your day without in the back seat (employee badge, laptop, phone, handbag, etc.).
  • Ask your childcare provider to call you right away if your child hasn’t arrived as scheduled. 
  • Clearly announce and confirm who is getting each child out of the vehicle. Miscommunication can lead to thinking someone else removed the child.

Lt. Nicholas Davis at the Columbus Division of Fire says parents should not leave a child in a car, even for a few minutes.

“I know people are busy in their day-to-day lives and think, ‘Let’s run into the store for a quick two minutes.’ But then two minutes turns into 15 minutes, and 15 minutes on a hot day like today is deadly, especially for a child,” he said.

Detectives are continuing to gather the facts of the case. Then, prosecutors will decide whether charges will be filed.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
Jeanette Olivo not guilty by reason of insanity in stabbing of dog on Chicago's Northwest Side in 2022, police say

Chicago Incident: Jeanette Olivo Found Not Guilty in 2022 Dog Stabbing Due to Insanity Defense

CHICAGO (WLS) — A woman was found not guilty by reason of…
Enough Talk, Time for Muscle: Why Pete Hegseth’s Military Overhaul Is the Reset We Need

Time for Action: Why Pete Hegseth’s Military Reforms Are Essential

By nature, I am serene and pastoral, spending my time working to…

Jacksonville Mother Pursues Justice Following Daughter’s Tragic Hit-and-Run Death

Shardae Webber demands justice after a vehicle struck and killed her 13-year-old…
Trump's peace deal could end the war in Gaza or Netanyahu's career

Trump’s Peace Proposal: A Chance to Resolve the Gaza Conflict or Alter Netanyahu’s Political Future

A 20-point peace plan proposed by President Donald Trump this week could…
Palmdale Street shooting on Jacksonville's Northwest side leaves man dead

Search Underway for 2 Suspects After Line Street Shooting Incident

A man in his 20s was walking along Line Street when two…
Russian leader responds to American conservative's murder: 'A disgusting atrocity'

Russian President Condemns the Killing of U.S Conservative: ‘Appalling Act’

Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his views on Thursday, describing the assassination…
Musk becomes first person worth $500B

Musk Achieves Status as First $500 Billion Individual

(The Hill) — Elon Musk, the technology tycoon, temporarily reached a net…
New York City high-rise apartment building suffers partial collapse

Partial Collapse Hits New York City High-Rise Apartment Building

A portion of a New York City high-rise apartment building collapsed Wednesday…
10-time Olympic medalist Caeleb Dressel joining Sporting JAX Aquatic Club

Olympic Superstar Caeleb Dressel Joins Sporting JAX Aquatic Club

Dressel, hailing from Green Cove Springs, is about to reconnect with one…
Israeli military arrests Greta Thunberg, flotilla activists after intercepting dozens of boats

The Israeli military detains Greta Thunberg and activists from a flotilla after stopping multiple boats.

Israeli naval forces intercepted 39 vessels from a Gaza-bound aid flotilla on…
Des Moines Public School Board accepts superintendent's resignation after ICE arrest

Ex-Des Moines Schools Superintendent Arrested by DOJ on Federal Firearms and Immigration Charges

The former Iowa school district superintendent detained by immigration authorities last week…
Manchester Mosque Hires Sharia Law Administrator

Manchester Mosque Appoints Sharia Law Coordinator

England is quietly becoming the Western capital of Sharia law courts —…