A northeast Harris County child died Monday after being left in a hot vehicle for several hours, according to authorities.
Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said deputies from the Precinct 3 Constable's Office were dispatched to the 13700 block of Blair Hill Lane where they found the child, a 5-year-old.
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The child was pronounced deceased at the scene. Temperatures in Houston reached 100 degrees on Monday.
The child's mother had been rushing to prepare a birthday party for the boy's sister, authorities said, and didn't realize for two or three hours that the boy had been left in the vehicle.
The woman, the 5-year-old victim and her 8-year-old daughter had gone to a store to get party supplies, Gonzalez said. The woman and girl got out of the vehicle, but the boy remained strapped into his car seat. According to Gonzalez, the boy knew how to unbuckle himself and get out, which the mother may have assumed he did.
Gonzalez noted that the vehicle was reportedly a loaner, and unfamiliarity with its door safety lock may have contributed to the incident.
It was not immediately clear if the woman will face charges.