A 3-year-old boy died after he was trapped inside a hot car at his South Carolina home in the second recent death involving children left inside scorching vehicles.
Logan Cox died Sunday at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, from a heatstroke he suffered after being stuck inside the locked car outside his home in Lancaster County, WCNC -TV reported.
The 3-year-old was at home with his family when he left the house without his mother knowing and got into the car with the family dog, according to the Lancaster County Sheriff's Office. Officials do not know exactly how long Cox was left inside the vehicle, but his family says it was no more than half an hour.
"Anywhere from 15, 15 to 20 minutes," Jimmy Clevinger, the child's grandfather, told WCNC-TV. "I know it was an accident. My daughter was lying on the couch with him watching TV and my wife was in the bedroom."
Cox climbed into the car last Wednesday. His family told the station on Friday they expected Cox to be released from the hospital on Monday, but the child never made it.
"It was so hot in there and it overtook him," the grandfather said.
The dog also died from the heat exposure, according to Clevinger. The child's parents told the station they were not ready to be interviewed.
Lancaster County police said the incident is still under investigation.
The boy's death comes as a Georgia father is facing felony murder charges for causing his 1-year-old son's death after leaving him in a hot SUV for seven hours on June 18, according to ABC News.
The baby died of hyperthermia after being left in the boiling-hot SUV while his father went to work at Home Depot. Police found evidence suggesting Harris and his wife Leanna intentionally left their son in the car, including online searches on child heatstroke inside cars.
