Two-year-old boy is found dead inside a daycare van parked in 90 degree weather outside a South Florida childcare center
- Emergency responders were called at 3.20pm Monday to the scene outside Ceressa’s Enrichment and Empowerment Academy in Oakland Park, Florida
- The unidentified child had been sitting in the daycare center’s van for an unspecified amount of time
- Investigators said hot weather may have played a role in the child’s death
- Sheriff deputies said the child’s parents have been informed of his death
- No arrests were made Monday afternoon
A two-year-old boy was found dead in the back of a daycare center’s van Monday afternoon when authorities said temperatures reached the low 90s.
Emergency responders were called to the scene outside Ceressa’s Enrichment and Empowerment Academy in Oakland Park, Florida around 3.20pm Monday after daycare center employees found toddler’s lifeless body inside the white Ford van.
Investigators with the Broward County Sheriff’s office said the child was taken to the daycare inside the van earlier in the day.
‘What happened once they arrived here is under investigation,’ BSO spokesperson Keyla Concepcion told WSVN. ‘You would think that any facility that deals with children — especially young children — would have some kind of checks and balances or some kind of system. Unfortunately, it’s not the first time that we’ve heard of a case like this happening.’
Emergency responders were called at 3.20pm Monday to the scene outside Ceressa’s Enrichment and Empowerment Academy in Oakland Park, Florida where a two-year-old boy died after being left in a hot van
Authorities said the unidentified child had been sitting in the daycare center’s van for an unspecified amount of time while the temperature outside was in the low 90 degrees during the day
News cameras captured footage of the late child’s body covered with a yellow tarp.
News of the tragedy spread quickly through the local area, prompting horrified parents whose kids attend the daycare to rush to the scene and pick up their children to ensure they were safe.
”When I called, the young lady — the assistant director — she did tell me, “Your kids are fine at that time, but you have to come pick them up from a different site,”’ Lavonya Roach told WSVN.
‘Totally unacceptable. Death is never acceptable, especially not with a minor, and I think it comes from not having experience or well-balanced people taking care of the kids.’
Investigators took the van into custody after examining the scene
Authorities haven’t released the name of the driver of the van, but no arrests were made Monday afternoon.
The incident is the latest tragedy involving one or more children dying after being left in hot vehicles by unwitting parents.
Phoeniex resident Juan Rodriguez pleaded not guilty to manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide charges Friday after accidentally leaving his one-year-old twins Luna and Phoenix in the back of his vehicle for eight hours in 108 degree weather.
‘These tragedies continue to happen, so we expect — or hope — that facilities who deal with children have checks and balances or some kind of system in place to prevent these incidents from occurring,’ Concepcion said.