Florida Toddler Dies After Father Discovers Child Left in SUV During Daycare Pickup

A 23-month-old boy was found unresponsive and later pronounced dead inside an SUV on Monday, authorities confirmed. The tragic incident occurred outside A World of Discovery Academy in Plantation, Florida, after the child's father realized he had mistakenly believed his son had been dropped off at the daycare.

Emergency services, including the Plantation Police Department and Plantation Fire Department, were dispatched to the early childhood education facility around 5:39 p.m. on Monday following a report of a child found unresponsive in a vehicle. Firefighters who arrived at the scene declared the child deceased.

Daycare Owner Speaks Out

Leslie Novoa, who owns A World of Discovery Academy, recounted to a local news outlet that she dialed 911 alongside the toddler's father upon the discovery of the child in the back seat of the family's SUV.

"This is hard for the parents, hard for us," Novoa stated. "This is sad to see this family – a wonderful family – to go through so much pain."

Novoa explained that the father had arrived at the daycare for the afternoon pickup, only to tragically discover that his son had never been brought inside the building that day.

"Unfortunately, the dad arrived to pick up his child, and when he arrived to the parking lot, he realized he forgot the child," Novoa said. "He never dropped off the child at the school."

She further shared that she has known the family for six years, describing them as devoted parents whose three children attended the daycare.

"Like I said before, they’re a very loving family, and unfortunately, this happened," Novoa added.

The daycare later released a statement conveying its profound sympathy and offering support to the grieving family.

"Our primary responsibility is the safety and well-being of our students and their families," the daycare's statement read. "We communicated with our school community as soon as possible, and we remain in contact with our families to provide support during this incredibly difficult time. This student and their family are beloved members of our community. At this time, our focus is on supporting those grieving this immense loss."

Understanding Hot Car Tragedies

According to Kids and Car Safety, an organization dedicated to preventing child deaths and injuries in vehicles, approximately 40 children in the United States die in hot cars each year. The group, formerly known as KidsAndCars.org, notes that nearly half of these fatalities occur when a parent or caregiver unintentionally leaves a child unattended inside a vehicle.

Plantation police officials confirmed that the circumstances surrounding the child's death are currently under active investigation.