5-Year-Old Dies in Hot Car in Mansfield, Ohio

A 5-year-old boy died in Mansfield, Ohio, on Thursday after being left for several hours in a hot car parked on Wood Street during extreme heat, with temperatures in the upper 80s to low 90s. Police responded to a medical emergency and found the child unconscious, after which he was pronounced dead at a hospital. Mansfield Police detectives and the Richland County Prosecutor's Office are actively investigating the case, and no criminal charges have been filed at this time. Authorities reiterated the life-threatening dangers of leaving children in vehicles during hot weather and recommended reminder systems and routines for parents and caregivers. Nationally, more than 1,000 children have died from heatstroke in hot cars over the past 25 years. Community members and officials have expressed deep sympathy for the family and first responders involved in the tragedy.