A New Jersey man has been arrested after his eight-week-old daughter tragically died from being left in a scorching hot car while he attended services at his synagogue. Avraham Chaitovsky, 28, is accused of abandoning his infant daughter in his vehicle at Kollel Cheshek Shlomo synagogue in Lakewood, where temperatures soared past 90°F.
The emergency services were alerted around 1:45 pm on Monday to a child in cardiac arrest, but despite their efforts, the baby was pronounced dead at the scene.
The intense heat wave gripping the U.S. has contributed to a series of tragic incidents involving children left in hot vehicles. Just hours before this incident, a two-year-old boy in Monticello, New York, also succumbed to similar circumstances.
This string of devastating events underscores a grim pattern. According to Kids and Car Safety, a national nonprofit, the deaths of these two children bring the total number of child fatalities due to hot cars in the U.
S. to 13 this year. The staggering heatwave has put numerous states under excessive heat warnings, with temperatures in Lakewood reaching 97°F on Monday, feeling as hot as 103-106°F due to high humidity.
Chaitovsky's daughter was left alone in the car for an extended period. The investigation has determined that this neglect was the direct cause of her death. Chaitovsky was arrested the following morning and booked into Ocean County Jail, with additional charges pending according to the prosecutor's office.
This incident highlights the urgent need for increased awareness and preventive measures regarding the dangers of leaving children in hot vehicles. The heatwave continues to grip the U.S., with warnings expected to remain in place in New Jersey through Wednesday evening, according to the National Weather Service.
In addition to the tragic cases in New Jersey and New York, other similar incidents this year include the death of a five-year-old twin in Nebraska, left in a car by his foster mother for seven hours in 89°F weather, and a two-year-old girl in Arizona who died after being left in a vehicle while her father played video games in the sweltering heat.
As the nation grapples with these heartbreaking events, the focus must turn to preventing such tragedies and ensuring the safety of children during extreme weather conditions.
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