This DT Friday Freakout is dedicated to summer, and to MAKING IT A HABIT TO LOOK IN THE BACK SEAT OF YOUR CAR EVERY SINGLE TIME YOU GET IN OR OUT, NOT JUST WHEN THE KID IS WITH YOU, BUT EVERY SINGLE TIME, AS MUCH A PART OF YOUR ROUTINE AS LOCKING YOUR DOOR, AS UNBUCKLING YOUR BELT, AS PUTTING UP YOUR VISOR, AS GRABBING YOUR BIG GULP, WHATEVER IT IS THAT YOU ALREADY DO AUTOMATICALLY,
WHEN YOU HAVE A KID YOU SHOULD ALWAYS CHECK THE CAR WHEN YOU GET OUT, TO SEE IF THE KID IS IN THERE:
- A dad in Cocoa, Florida forgot to drop his 9-month-old daughter at her grandparents when he went to work. She spent over four hours in her dad's truck, and she died of heatstroke Monday. He was charged with manslaughter today. [usatoday]
- A dad in Atlanta forgot to drop his 22-month-old son at day care when he went to work. He spent over seven hours in his dad's SUV in a Home Depot parking lot and died on Wednesday. The dad was charged with murder. [ajc]
- At least ten other kids have died so far this year in the US after being left in cars, according to KidsAndCars.org, who is so busy counting these tragic deaths, they haven't updated their website's news section for two years.
