Summer heat poses deadly risk for children left in vehicles

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) -- One of the most serious heat-related dangers during the summer is leaving a child unattended in a vehicle.

According to the National Weather Service, more than 900 children have died in hot vehicles since 1998. The National Safety Council reports 10 child hot-car deaths so far in 2026.

When the outside temperature is 80 degrees, the temperature inside a vehicle can climb to 99 degrees in just 10 minutes.

Frank Till, Executive Director of the St. Joseph Safety and Health Council said even on 70 degree day the car can raise to dangerous temperatures.

"It's just very dangerous to leave a child in that aspect," he said. "The other aspect is simply to leave a child in the car, it's a goof opportunity for someone to grab that child. It just takes a second to break out that window and take your child out of the car."

Cracking the window while the child is in the vehicle doesn't help.

"It does nothing in these kind of temperatures to keep the greenhouse condition from occurring in a car and the temperatures raising on so rapidly," he said.

If you see a child in a car alone call 9-1-1 immediately.

"Try to make contact with that child, to see if they're ok

In Missouri, leaving a child unattended in a motor vehicle can also come with penalties, according to a Missouri statute. If the offense is in the first degree, the act is a class C felony. If the offense is in the second degree, the act is a class A misdemeanor.

KQ2 will update this article.