Jerusalem Toddler Hospitalized After Being Trapped for Hours in Searing Hot Car

Earlier today, a one-year-old girl was rushed to Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem in moderate condition after being left unattended in a locked vehicle for several hours in the Har Nof neighborhood. The incident, which occurred amidst soaring summer temperatures, left the toddler suffering from high fever and signs of heatstroke, prompting an urgent police investigation into the circumstances of her abandonment.

According to the father, the child was left in the parked car for approximately three hours. However, police reports indicate a more alarming timeline, stating she was alone in the vehicle from 9:00 AM until around 4:00 PM. The father only realized his daughter was still in the car when he returned and heard her crying from the back seat. By the time Magen David Adom (MDA) paramedics arrived, the toddler had been removed from the vehicle and taken to a nearby home for initial treatment. “We arrived to find the toddler, who had been extracted from the vehicle, showing signs of heatstroke,” said MDA paramedic Uriel Lavi. “We were told she was in the car for about three hours. We provided immediate medical care and evacuated her to the hospital while she was conscious.”

The child was promptly transferred to Shaare Zedek, where medical staff treated her for elevated body temperature and heat-related symptoms. Her condition, while serious, was stabilized, but the prolonged exposure to heat posed significant risks, as temperatures in Jerusalem reached 32°C (90°F) that day. The father has been summoned for questioning to clarify the discrepancy in timelines and determine potential negligence occurred.

This incident follows a troubling pattern in Israel, with 37 children reported forgotten in vehicles in 2024 alone, according to child safety organizations. Authorities urge parents to use reminder systems, such as placing essential items in the back seat, to prevent such tragedies. The police investigation will assess whether charges, potentially for child endangerment, are warranted as the community grapples with the near-fatal oversight.