A two-year-old girl died after she had been left inside a car, according to police in Montgomery County, Maryland.
Officers and paramedics were called to a residence the Wheaton-Glenmont area of the county about 1:45 p.m. Wednesday, police said.
Father of the Child Forgot to Drop the Toddler at a Babysitter, Realized Hours Later
"Upon arrival, first responders located the toddler, who had been in the car for several hours," officials said in a statement. "She was transported to an area hospital, where she was later pronounced dead."
The child's body was taken to Maryland's Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for an autopsy. It was unclear Friday whether any charges would be filed.
Police radio traffic recorded on the archiving service OpenMHz.com suggested a wife called 911 and reported that her husband left the child inside the car.
WJLA reported, citing sources, that the father dropped one child off at school but allegedly forgot to drop his 2-year-old off at a babysitter, and it wasn't until hours later that the child was found, and by then it was too late.
"This remains an active investigation," said police spokeswoman Shiera Goff, who added that "the case is not being investigated as a homicide."
Pediatric Heatstrokes in Maryland
Pediatric vehicular heatstroke is a recurring problem in Maryland and The United States, especially as temperatures begin to rise.
According to statistics from NoHeatStroke.org, a website that tracks annual hot car deaths, there were 14 deaths from heatstroke in Maryland during 2024. There has only been one recorded heatstroke death in The United States in 2025, that occurred in New Jersey in March.
