18-month-old boy left inside car dies

KEARNS — An 18-month-old Kearns boy died Monday afternoon after his mother left him inside a car for several hours, police said.

"She came home and unloaded the groceries and forgot to unload the baby," said Salt Lake County sheriff's Lt. Paul Jaroscak. "It was right around the baby's nap time. She just didn't put two and two together."

Police were called to the home near 5300 West and 5300 South around 4 p.m.

The child was dead when emergency responders arrived on scene, Jaroscak said. With temperatures nearing 80 degrees Monday afternoon, heat likely played a role in the death, he said. The car's windows were up and the doors were shut, police said. An autopsy will be conducted.

Police have not released the child's name. Jaroscak said the mother was "absolutely devastated." The woman's husband was not home while the child was inside the car, police said.

No arrests were made, and Jaroscak said it will be up to the district attorney to determine whether charges are warranted. The Department of Child and Family Services was also called out to investigate. The woman has older children, but no children were removed from the home, Jaroscak said.