According to the Seminole County Sheriff's Office, a girl was found dead inside a sports utility vehicle near a gas station near Sanford.
The girl's mother went to work in the morning and apparently forgot that the girl, 1, was in the car. The mother was in Wawa, 4660 W. State Road 46, when the girl was found in the car, said Bob Kealing, spokesman for the sheriff's office. She was declared dead on the scene.
Firefighters from Seminole County responded to the scene around 4:50 pm
Authorities question the mother and investigate the incident. They will also consult the public prosecutor's office about potential charges. The names of the girl and the mother were not disclosed.
The medical examiner took the body of the girl from the Chevrolet Traverse that was parked next to the gas pump until the van on Friday night, MPs using sheets to protect the public from sight.
This marks the second hot car death in central Florida in a matter of hours. Earlier Friday afternoon, a 4-year-old boy died after being found in a vehicle parked in front of a school in southern Orange County.
Across the country, nearly 50 children died after being left in hot cars. According to kidsandcars.org, it only takes a few minutes for a child's core temperature to rise to 105 degrees in a hot car. Some vehicles, such as warning systems, install alert systems to remind parents that a child is in the back.
This is a story in development. Please check for updates later.
