After death of baby, experts remind adults to 'ACT' if child left in car

FRESNO, Calif. -- The heartbreaking death of a Fresno baby on Tuesday marks the first childhood heatstroke related car death in California this year. The 11-month-old boy was left in the car for over an hour with the windows up.

"It's heartbreaking and it's a definite tragedy all the way around," said Jamaica Wilson, victim's aunt.

Tragedy struck Wilson's family when her nephew, Terell Ayers, Junior, died after being left in a hot car by his grandmother Tuesday.

The family knows it was an accident and police are not going to file any charges.

It's the first heat stroke related car death involving a child in California this year.

"In the United States we average roughly about 37 deaths due to hypothermia based on kids that are in vehicles," said Carlos Flores, Valley Children's Hospital Trauma Coordinator.

Flores said the hospital's mission is to remind adults there is great danger in leaving children in hot cars. He said most cases a child is either forgotten or has gotten in a car without the parent's knowledge.

Flores said to prevent something like this from happening, everyone should remember the acronym "ACT".

"The "A" represents avoiding these situation in the first place, so never ever leave a child in a vehicle alone for any length of time."

The "C", Flores said, stands for creating reminders.

"So using a briefcase or a purse or a cell phone and placing it next to the child in the backseat so that way, when we get to our destination, us looking for a purse or briefcase reminds us that it's in the backseat. That also causes us to remember the child is there."

Flores said the "T" is for "take action." He tells us if you pass by a parked car with a child trapped inside who appears to not responding, don't be afraid to break into the vehicle and feel free to record yourself doing it.

"Record us, this is what I'm seeing, this is what I'm doing, and this is why I'm doing it and that would help us with the legalities of it."

If you ever have to pull a child from a hot car get them to a cool area or douse them with cold water to bring down their body temperature.

Medical experts said you should never give a child something to drink if they are unconscious.