BY KEITH LIPPOLDT
klippoldt@gbtribune.com
Who would think that heat-related deaths to children and pets left unattended in a vehicle could still be an issue? How is it possible someone could, or would, leave a child or pet inside a vehicle on a hot, or even warm, day? But, now that the dog days of summer are upon us, there will undoubtedly be more reports of these careless mistakes.
In the past 10 days, five babies have died from being left in hot cars across the U.S. In 2025, there have been 12 avoidable deaths from heat-related vehicle incidents, mostly in southern border and eastern seaboard states. Nationwide, an average of 37-40 children die each year from the complications of the extreme heat.
According to KidsAndCars.org, more than 1,100 children have died in hot vehicles nationwide since 1990 and at least another 7,500 survived with varying types and severities of injuries. Approximately 88% of children who die in hot cars are age 3 or younger and the majority (55%) were unknowingly left by an otherwise loving, responsible parent or caregiver.
And according to the website, long weekends generally result in such instances due to the fact that parents or care providers are out of their routines and forget they have a passenger in the back seat.
Although the temperatures in Kansas can reach well over 100 degrees in the summer months, Great Bend Chief of Police Steve Haulmark says it isn’t a common call his officers respond to.
“Thankfully it’s not really something we see too often,” Haulmark said. “During the warmer months we may get a call about once a month. Often, the vehicle is gone before we get there and our response time is pretty quick.”
When asked about the penalty for leaving a child unattended, Haulmark replied, “Kansas law does not contain a specific statute that makes it illegal to leave a child unattended in a vehicle. However, depending on the situation it could be charged as child endangerment, which is defined as recklessly causing or permitting a child under the age of 18 to be placed in a situation where their life, body, or health may be endangered. In these types of situations the Kansas Department for Children and Families may investigate as well for potential child neglect.”
Pets at risk, too
The numbers for pet deaths are much higher. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) and American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) emphasize that although hundreds of pets die annually, actual numbers likely reach into the thousands – if you were to include unreported cases. Rescue cases are also alarmingly common, with hundreds of animals saved yearly from potentially deadly heat situations.
ASPCA also reports the trend is alarming enough that 31 U.S. states, plus Washington, D.C., have laws outlawing leaving animals in hot vehicles.
How hot is too hot?
Even on days when the outside temperature reaches into the 80s, vehicle interiors can soar to 100-120 degrees within several minutes, making any unattended time potentially lethal. Although nearly unthinkable, this is a problem that does exist, and the reasons are numerous, but avoidable.
The leading cause is caregiver forgetfulness, where a routine has been disrupted or the person leaves a child inside the vehicle and goes into a store or house and loses track of time. It only takes a few minutes for temperatures to climb inside a closed vehicle.
Another cause is that a child climbs into an unattended car and cannot get out. By the time the parent or caregiver discovers the child, it is possibly too late.
Sadly, the third highest cause of death due to heat is a parent or caregiver intentionally leaving the child in the car unattended. It is sometimes difficult to load a child into a car seat, unload them when you reach your destination and then have to load them back up on the return trip. And in inclement weather, it’s even more difficult.
Some of today’s vehicles have built-in safety check systems that remind you to check your backseat after you turn off your key. All vehicles were to have this safety feature installed as standard equipment by November, 2023 but Congress has yet to force the issue.
“We are committed to the push for occupant detection technology in all cars immediately. As we continue our advocacy, children continue to die week after week. It is beyond heartbreaking,” stated Janette Fennell, founder and president of Kids and Car Safety, the leading national nonprofit working solely to prevent injuries and deaths of children in and around motor vehicles. “Automakers do not have to wait for the final regulation to be issued requiring technology; they can add occupant detection technology to their vehicles today.”
The biggest mistake a person can make is to believe this could never happen to them. Unfortunately, it can happen to even the most loving and caring parents and caregivers – and it does. A change in daily routine, lack of sleep, stress, fatigue, and distractions are things ALL new parents experience and are just some of the reasons children have been unknowingly left alone in vehicles.
Kansas Laws: Protecting Rescuers (Children & Pets)
The Good Samaritan law became effective in Kansas July 1, 2018. The law shields you from civil liability if you break into a locked car to rescue a child or a “domestic animal” (dog, cat, etc) under imminent danger – provided you:
• Have a good-faith belief the animal/person is in imminent harm
• Call 911 before or immediately after entry
• Use only necessary force
• Remain on scene until help arrives
Statute 60-5401. Immunity for damage to motor vehicle.
(a) As used in this section:
(1) “Domestic animal” means a dog, cat or other animal that is domesticated and may be kept as a household pet. “Domestic animal” does not include livestock, as defined in K.S.A. 47-1001, and amendments thereto, or other farm animals.
(2) “Motor vehicle” means the same as specified in K.S.A. 8-126, and amendments thereto.
(3) “Vulnerable person” means an adult whose ability to perform the normal activities of daily living or to provide for such adult’s own care or protection is impaired or a minor.
(b) A person who enters a motor vehicle, by force or otherwise, for the purpose of removing a vulnerable person or domestic animal is immune from civil liability for damage to the motor vehicle if such person:
(1) Determines the motor vehicle is locked or there is otherwise no reasonable method for the vulnerable person or domestic animal to exit the motor vehicle without assistance;
(2) has a good faith and reasonable belief, based upon known circumstances, that entry into the motor vehicle is necessary because the vulnerable person or domestic animal is in imminent danger of suffering harm;
(3) ensures that law enforcement is notified or calls 911 before entering the motor vehicle or immediately thereafter;
(4) uses no more force to enter the motor vehicle and remove the vulnerable person or domestic animal than is necessary; and
(5) remains with the vulnerable person or domestic animal in a safe location, in reasonable proximity to the motor vehicle, until law enforcement or a first responder arrives.
Safety Tips for Parents and Caregivers
• Never leave children alone in or around cars; not even for a minute.
• If you see a child alone in a vehicle, get involved. Call 911 immediately. If the child is in distress, get them out of the vehicle as quickly as possible.
• Use drive-thru services when available (restaurants, banks, pharmacies, dry cleaners, etc.) and pay for gas at the pump. If you order take-out, you can ask them to bring the food out to your car.
• Never leave a vehicle unattended with the engine running under any circumstances.
• Do not put children or adults inside a vehicle with the engine running while clearing snow or ice off the vehicle. Always clear the tailpipe first to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.
• Keep car keys and remote openers out of reach of children and keep vehicles locked at all times, even in driveways or garages. Ask home visitors, child care providers and neighbors to do the same.
• In any state, a person can face child endangerment or neglect charges for leaving a child alone in a vehicle, even if the state does not have a law specifically making it illegal to leave a child alone in a vehicle.
To learn more about the many dangers children face when left alone in or around vehicles please visit KidsAndCars.org’s website at: http://www.KidsAndCars.org.
SOURCES: aspca.org, avma.org, KidsAndCars.org, Great Bend Police Department
