Children die from heat-related causes every year in this country after being left unattended in motor vehicles.
Locally, the risk of such tragedies is rising because of the recent sweltering temperatures.
There were 44 child vehicular heat stroke deaths nationwide during 2013 and 31 in 2014, according to kidsandcars.org, a public safety awareness website. So far, in 2015, there have been four.
In Aiken, "it's not a common occurrence" for the Department of Public Safety to receive phone calls about youngsters found alone in cars during hot weather, said Lt. Jake Mahoney.
"But when it does happen, it's something we take very seriously," Mahoney said. "If the situation merits it, we will prosecute individuals who do leave their children unattended in cars, and we also will forward complaints and reports to the Department of Social Services."
Automobiles, trucks and vans can heat up very quickly, which makes them especially dangerous during the summer. reports that
"Even with the windows cracked, the temperature inside a car can reach 125 degrees in minutes," according to kidsandcars.org.
Turning on the vehicle's air-conditioning might seem like a viable solution, but it doesn't guarantee that the youngsters inside will be protected from harm, Mahoney warned.
"If you are counting on that vehicle to stay running and keep your child safe, you are putting your child at risk because mechanical failures can happen," he said. "Children left in vehicles also can shut them off or disable the air conditioner."
Mahoney urged people to call 911 if they see youngsters by themselves in cars and are worried about their welfare.
"It's better to err on the side of caution," he said. "Every call does not necessitate a criminal charge, but we would rather come out and investigate to ensure the safety of the children."
Mahoney also advised pet owners to be careful about leaving their animals unattended in vehicles when it's hot.
"Even on a cloudy day, temperatures in cars can climb well above 100 degrees and quickly overwhelm an animal's ability to cool itself, leading to its death," Mahoney said. "We get two or three calls per week during the summer months about animals left unattended in vehicles."
Dede Biles is a general assignment reporter for the Aiken Standard and has been with the newspaper since January 2013.
A native of Concord, N.C., she graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.