A 2-year-old North Carolina child was found dead inside a hot car Thursday in what police officials are describing as a “tragic accident.”
Authorities have released few details in the case, but as of Friday morning no charges had been filed.
It was unclear how the toddler came to be left alone in the vehicle parked outside Industrial Fabricators Inc., a major supplier of metal fabrication, assembly and coating services near York Highway and Forbes Road in Gaston County.
Police did not disclose the child’s identity nor whether one or both of the parents are employed at the business where officers responded to an emergency call about 4:15 p.m., according to news station WSOC-TV.
Investigators are treating the case as a homicide and plan to interview the child’s parents, but Gaston County Police Department Capt. Billy Downey indicated the death was most likely a “tragic mistake.”
“It’s been hard on everyone here. I’ve spoken with human resources. They’re trying to do what they can to provide resources. We’ve offered resources as well,” Downey said. “At this point, it looks like it is an accident. But, unfortunately, because of the situation and circumstances, we still have to look into it.”
Temperatures reached 82 degrees Thursday in Gastonia, according to weather.com.
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