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[Note: This study has now been published in Pediatrics. Click here to download]

  • Total number of U.S. pediatric vehicular heatstroke deaths, 2018: 48
  • Total number of U.S. pediatric vehicular heatstroke deaths, 2017: 43
  • Total number of U.S. pediatric vehicular heatstroke deaths, 1998-present: 791
  • Average number of U.S. child heatstroke fatalities per year since 1998: 37

See Monthly Statistics
See Statistics by State
See Trends and Patterns in Pediatric Vehicular Heatstroke (1998-2017)

US Child Vehicular Heatstroke Deaths

CIRCUMSTANCES

An examination of media reports about the 700 pediatric vehicular heatstroke deaths for a 19-year period (1998 through 2017) shows the following circumstances:

  • 54% - child "forgotten" by caregiver (400 Children)
  • 27% - child playing in unattended vehicle (201)
  • 18% - child intentionally left in vehicle by adult (137)
  • 1% - circumstances unknown (5)

Demographics of Persons Responsible for Heatstroke Deaths of Children Forgotten in Vehicles

AGES

The children that have died from vehicular heatstroke in the United States (1998-October 2016) have ranged in age from 5 days to 14 years. More than half of the deaths are children under 2 years of age. Below are the percentage of total (695) deaths (and the number of deaths).

  • < 1-year old = 32% (225)
  • 1-year old = 22% (154)
  • 2-years old = 20% (137)
  • 3-years old = 13% (92)
  • 4-years old = 6% (42)
  • 5-years old = 3% (23)
  • 6-years old = 1% (9)
  • 7-years old = < 1% (3)
  • 8-years old = < 1% (3)
  • 9-years old = < 1% (2)
  • 10-years old = < 1% (3)
  • 11-years old = < 1% (2)
  • 12-years old = < 1% (1)
  • 13-years old = < 1% (1)
  • 14-years old = < 1% (3)
  • Unknown = < 1% (1)


# Date City Temp Name Age
48 9/28/2018 Sanford, FL 95° Kit Noelle Pollard 1 yr
47 9/28/2018 Oak Ridge, FL 93° Logan Starling 4 yr
46 9/11/2018 Moraga, CA 81° Lily Aracic 19 mo
45 9/8/2018 Dillon, SC 91° Jonah Ayden Matthews 3 yr
44 9/6/2018 Athens, TX 93° Girl 6 mo
43 9/6/2018 Florence, SC 96° Dean Emerson Coward 7 mo
42 9/5/2018 Daleville, IN 93° Jaxon Stults 2 yr
41 9/4/2018 Zanesville, OH 93° Boy 1 mo
40 8/28/2018 Coram, NY 91° Adrianna C. Celenza 11 yr
39 8/26/2018 Rock Hill, SC 90° Lamartray Adams Jr. 2 yr
38 8/23/2018 Huntsville, AL 86° Lexi 2 yr
37 8/17/2018 Spring Hill, FL 94° Keyton O'Callaghan 9 mo
36 8/12/2018 Goshen, KY 89° Nishchay Patel 3 yr
35 8/11/2018 Cape Girardeau, MO 91° Girl 10 wks
34 8/10/2018 Emporia, VA 90° Dameer Curry 6 mo
33 8/8/2018 Goochland County, VA 93° Riaan Gondesi 17 mo
32 8/2/2018 El Reno. OK 90° Ryker Daniel Kolar 3 yr
31 7/23/2018 New Albany, IN 90° Aiden Miller 3 mo
30 7/19/2018 Houston, TX 93° Raymond Pryer 3 yr
29 7/19/2018 West Haven, CT 79° Dusan Jenkins 4 yr
28 7/14/2018 Medina, OH 93° Girl 6 mo
27 7/13/2018 Pembroke Pines, FL 93° Eli Douglas Bird 17 mo
26 7/9/2018 Sweetwater, TN 87° Greg Puckett 3 yr
25 7/7/2018 South Sacramento, CA 95° Alejandro Lopez Jr. 2 yr
24 7/4/2018 Moniteau County, MO 95° Girl 5 yr
23 6/29/2018 Frankfort, KY 91° Calvin Hedges 3 yr
22 6/26/2018 Glendive, MT 81° Caleb Hopkins 2 yr
21 6/21/2018 Roseburg, OR 81° Remington Engler 21 mo
20 6/20/2018 Willits, CA 80° Chergery Teywoh Lew Mays 18 mo
19 6/19/2018 Kingsland, GA 92° Slade Edison Horne 7 mo
18 6/15/2018 Spartanburg, SC 91° King Trammel 18 mo
17 6/14/2018 Vancleave, MS 89° Kash Barhonovich 10 mo
16 6/9/2018 Crittenden, KY 95° Lillian Danielle Kerr 2 yr
15 6/8/2018 Raleigh, NC 87° Hakeem Mussa 7 mo
14 6/4/2018 Baytown, TX 91° Maria Solorio 9 mo
13 6/3/2018 Anderson, IN 90° Hannah Grace Miller 3 yr
12 5/31/2018 Pelzer, SC 85° Joe Avery James Lockaby 18 mo
11 5/23/2018 East Nashville, TN 90° Katera Barker 1 yr
10 5/18/2018 Andalusia, AL 91° Laila Marie Dees 4 yr
9 5/16/2018 Eagle Pass, TX 99° Girl 7 mo
8 5/15/2018 Shreveport, LA 91° Addyson Blackburn 6 mo
7 5/10/2018 Chesterfield, VA 83° Girl 5 mo
6 5/10/2018 Chesterfield, VA 83° Boy 5 mo
5 5/3/2018 Waterford, CT 87° Christopher Kenneth Bosselman 5 yr
4 4/3/2018 North Charleston, SC 84° Jack Duggan 10 mo
3 3/26/2018 Superior, AZ 71° Lorenzo Michael Velasquez 2 yr
2 3/262018 Superior, AZ 71° Brooklyn Velasquez 9 mo
1 2/28/2018 Miami, FL 81° Damon Cruz 1 yr

Previous Years:  2017, 2016,  2015,  2014,  2013,  2012,  2011,  2010,  2009,  2008,  2007,  2006,  2005,  2004,  2003,  1998 ‑ 2002

National Safety Council