KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A Hamilton County man was recently charged with reckless homicide after he left his infant in a hot vehicle.
According to the East Tennessee Children's Hospital, Tennessee is among the top 10 states for vehicular heat stroke deaths.
Janette Fennel, the president of Kids and Car Safety, said incidents like these can happen to anyone. She said on average, about 37 children every year die in a hot car. She said since 1990, around 1,090 children have died in a hot car.
"I think we've all experienced autopilot. We get to work, and we go, 'Hey, how did I get here?' And, that's just part of what happens in these situations," said Fennel. "Look before you lock, and how that works is simply when you arrive at your destination, you get out of your car, open that back door and make sure nobody is left behind."
The East Tennessee Children's Hospital said a car can heat up by 19 degrees in just 10 minutes. It also said cracking open a window doesn't help.
The hospital said people should create reminders for themselves. People can leave an item they need in the back seat to remind them a child may be there. They also said if anyone sees a child in a hot car, they should immediately take action and call for help.
In Tennessee, people will not face punishment for breaking windows if they see a child or pet stuck inside a hot car.
"Take them with you. You want to be planning birthdays, not funerals," said Fennel.