Child Pronounced Dead After Being Left in a Hot Car in the Hudson Valley

New York State Police are currently investigating a tragic death in the Hudson Valley.

The Monticello Police Department released a statement on Wednesday, July 17th regarding their investigation into the death of a child in Sullivan County after being left in a hot car on one of the hottest days of the year.

Sullivan County Tragedy

Monticello Police were first on the scene following a 911 call on Tuesday, July 16th a little after 6:40 PM.

The 911 call reported a child locked inside a gray Ford Explorer seemingly undergoing cardiac arrest. The car was parked in the Sleepy Hollow Apartment Complex in Monticello.

Temperatures in the area yesterday surpassed 80 degrees Fahrenheit. According to the CDC, it only takes 20 minutes on an 80-degree day for the interior of a car to reach triple-digit temperatures exceeding 109 degrees.

Monticello Police, Monticello Firefighters and Catskill Hatzola EMS were all on the scene making efforts to resuscitate the child. Efforts were unsuccessful and the child was tragically pronounced dead at the scene by the Sullivan County Coroner.

Warning to All New York Parents

According to the National Safety Council, 29 children under the age of 15 passed away in 2023 from heat stroke after being left alone in cars.

A majority of these tragic deaths occur on Thursdays and Fridays according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

The NHTSA shared some tips to help prevent parents or caregivers from accidentally leaving children in the car:

• Leaving your cell phone or bag next to the child - most people will not forget to grab their cell phone or will notice it's missing.
• Keep a stuffed animal in your child's car seat and move it to the front seat whenever the child is in the car seat as a closer visual reminder of the child in the back seat.

New York State Police Investigate

New York State Police are leading the investigation into the child's preventable passing. local departments including Monticello Police and the Sullivan County District Attorney's office are assisting.

Mark Lieb of Rockland Video was on the scene as police investigated the car.