A 5-year-old boy died after being left in a car for seven hours in Omaha, Nebraska, as temperatures soared; his foster mother has been charged with child abuse by neglect resulting in death.

Omaha Police are investigating the tragic death of a young boy who was left in a hot car for an extended period outside a beauty salon on Wednesday, July 10, 2024. As temperatures climbed to nearly 90 degrees, the child was found unresponsive and later pronounced dead at the hospital. The foster mother, 40-year-old Juanita Pinon, has been charged with child abuse by neglect resulting in death. This incident marks the latest in a disturbing trend, with at least 10 children dying in hot cars across the U.S. this year alone.

The boy was discovered outside of the beauty salon where his foster mother, Juanita Pinon, had been working. Emergency responders arrived at the location at 3025 N 93rd Street shortly after 5 p.m. on Wednesday. Despite their efforts, the boy was later declared dead at the hospital. Authorities report that the child had been left in the car for approximately seven hours on a day when temperatures ranged between 86 and 89 degrees.

Pinon, 40, was subsequently arrested and faces charges of child abuse by neglect, resulting in death. Omaha Police have launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident but have yet to determine whether it was accidental or intentional.

This recent tragedy adds to a growing list of similar incidents that have occurred across the nation. According to national nonprofit KidsAndCars.org, at least 1,094 children have died in hot cars since 1990. So far this year, at least 10 children across the United States have succumbed to similar fates.

In a related incident just a day earlier, a separate tragedy occurred in Marana, Arizona, where a two-year-old girl died after being left alone in a running vehicle. The vehicle was later found with the air conditioning off. These incidents highlight the dangers of leaving children unattended in vehicles, particularly during hot weather.

Hot car deaths are often the result of a phenomenon known as vehicular heatstroke, where the temperature inside a vehicle can reach deadly levels in a remarkably short amount of time. Experts emphasize that even mild outdoor temperatures can pose severe risks. When outside temperatures are in the mid-80s, the interior of a car can soar to over 100 degrees within 10 minutes, even with the windows slightly open.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that children's bodies heat up three to five times faster than adults, making them more susceptible to heatstroke. Symptoms of heatstroke include confusion, vomiting, and in severe cases, loss of consciousness or death.

Many safety advocates stress the importance of creating habits to ensure children are not left in vehicles. Recommendations include placing essential items like wallets or phones in the backseat and using reminders to check the car seat before leaving the vehicle.

Organizations such as KidsAndCars.org promote public awareness and preventive measures to combat these preventable deaths. They advocate for technological solutions, such as car seat alarms and vehicle reminder systems, to alert caregivers when a child is left in the backseat.

As the Omaha community mourns the loss of the young boy, the case underscores the critical need for vigilance and preventive strategies to protect children from the dangers posed by hot vehicles. The investigation into the circumstances of the boy's death continues, with authorities seeking to understand how this tragic incident could have occurred.

Anyone with additional information regarding the case is encouraged to contact the Omaha Police Department. The department has not yet provided further comments or details pending the outcome of their ongoing investigation.