Community Corner
CHP: Prevent A Heat-Related Death Like Kaitlyn's
As we near the 12th anniversary of Kaitlyn's death, CHP offers advice for making sure your kids stay safe
It was a scorcher of an August day just like this one when baby Kaitlyn Marie Russell of Corona died after being left inside a parked car.
Think the kids will be OK for just a minute? Read Kaitlyn's mother's story about the heartbreaking loss of her six-month-old daughter to heat stroke on Aug. 15, 2000, HERE.
Sadly, even the best of parents or caregivers can overlook a sleeping baby in a vehicle, the California Highway Patrol says; on a day like today the inside of a car quickly heats and the result can be injury or even death.
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Although California now has Kaitlyn's Law, which prohibits you from leaving kids unattended in a vehicle, California Highway Patrol officials offer some advice: Develop a plan, or a habit, which serves as a reminder of where a child is at all times.
California law prohibits anyone from leaving a child six years of age or younger unattended in a motor vehicle without the supervision of someone who is 12 years or older when: there are conditions that present a significant risk to the child’s health or safety, or when the vehicle’s engine is running and/or the vehicle’s key is in the ignition (California Vehicle Code Section 15620).
The CHP encourages everyone to take an active role in safeguarding children who may be left unattended in a vehicle by dialing 9-1-1 immediately and following the instructions that emergency personnel provide.
