Free Republic

BALCH SPRINGS, TX (AP) - Evidence suggests a 4-year-old boy who died of heatstroke was left inside a sweltering van near a day care center for hours before his body was moved to a playground, investigators said. After the day care owner called 911 and said "One of my babies is at the park, and he's not breathing," emergency personnel found Jacob Fox face up with his eyes open and arms by his side at Kidstown Pavilion. His skin was pale and dry, and his core temperature was 107.9 degrees, according to a police affidavit released Tuesday. One of the...

It's a scenario that's tragically repeated dozens of times a year: a parent places a toddler in the back seat of a vehicle and later becomes distracted, leaving the child inside to swelter on a hot day. Authorities in Payne County in north-central Oklahoma say that's what happened Sunday, when temperatures soared into the 90s and the father of 21-month-old Banyan Blaze Roberts forgot to take the sleeping boy out of a vehicle after returning from a family outing. Banyan, whose core temperature rose to 107.9 degrees, later died in a hospital. A core temperature of 107 is considered lethal....