9-year-old girl dies after being left in hot car outside mother’s workplace near Houston
This marks the third hot car death in Texas in just four days and the 13th nationwide in 2025. The mother reportedly left her daughter with water inside the vehicle while working her shift.
So far in 2025, there have been 13 hot car fatalities reported in the U.S. Six of those fatalities have occurred since June 22. Amber Rollins of Kids and Car Safety explains the dangers of hot cars.
A 9-year-old girl died Tuesday after being left inside a parked vehicle for hours in Galena Park, Texas, marking the third hot car death in the state in just four days.
The incident occurred in the gated employee parking lot of USG, a building materials manufacturer located east of Houston. According to Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez, the child's mother arrived for her 6 a.m. shift and brought her daughter with her for reasons still under investigation.
Gonzalez told ABC13 in Houston that the mother left the girl inside the vehicle with some water, sunshades up and the windows partially down. Authorities believe the child remained in the vehicle until 2 p.m., when the mother returned after her shift and found her daughter unresponsive.
“I don’t know if anyone checked on the child throughout the day,” Gonzalez said. First responders were contacted at 2:06 p.m., and the mother was later detained, with potential charges pending.
“It’s never acceptable to leave a child in the car,” Gonzalez added.
The girl’s death follows two other hot car fatalities in Texas over the weekend, bringing the national total to at least 13 hot car deaths so far in 2025, according to Kids and Car Safety.
Since 1990, at least 1,127 children have died in hot cars nationwide, and more than 7,500 others have survived with injuries ranging from mild to severe, according to data from Kids and Car Safety.
The vast majority of victims—nearly 9 in 10—are under the age of 3. In over half of all fatal cases, children were unknowingly left behind by a parent or caregiver. Experts stress that it can happen to anyone, regardless of routine, background or intentions.
The inside of a car can heat up much faster than most people realize, even if the windows are cracked. In just 10 minutes, the temperature inside can soar to dangerous levels, with about 80% of that heat buildup happening in those first few minutes, according to Kids and Car Safety.
Just over half of all hot car deaths occur when a caregiver unintentionally leaves a child in a vehicle. About one-in-four fatalities happen when a child gains access to a hot vehicle. Experts urge caregivers to keep vehicles locked when not in use and to take extra precautions to ensure no child is left behind.
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