ROCKLEDGE, Fla. – After a 9-month-old Rockledge girl died in a hot car on Monday, safety experts want to urge others to take precautions.
"Essentially, a car is basically like an oven.," said Carissa Johns, of Safe Kids, a national organization that provides safety tips and solutions.
So, imagine, a baby inside. Sometimes for minutes, but other times for hours. It can happen to anyone. A parent or babysitter can forget about their child.
"It's two types of people this can happen to, male or female. It doesn't matter if you are one of the most educated people, it doesn't matter if you have a great job and make a lot of money," Johns said.
On Tuesday, an infant in Brevard County died after being left in her car seat for three hours with the windows rolled up while her father was at work.
She is the 12th child to die in a hot vehicle this year, according to Safe Kids.
Last year, 44 kids died across the country. Most of those were under 4 years old.
"As you can tell, summertime is starting, it's getting hotter and those numbers are rising very quickly," Johns said.
Johns offered a tip for parents and guardians to prevent further tragedies from happening.
"It's really simple: just put something in the back seat. It could be your cellphone, your gym bag, your briefcase, whatever the case may be," she said.