MIAMI (WSVN) - A new Florida bill has been filed that would prohibit a guardian from leaving a child in the car for any amount of time.
7News has covered several stories where children were left in hot vehicles outside for hours and later died due to the impact, but now lawmakers are trying to prevent another situation like that from happening again in Florida.
On July 16, a 1-year-old boy was found in a car in Delray Beach. Family members said they thought he was playing with friends outside.
On Feb. 7, another 1-year-old boy died from being left in a car outside of his grandparent’s house in Pinecrest.
In two other instances in 2016, an 11-month-old girl died after she was left in a car in Hialeah, and a 2-year-old boy was found unresponsive after a daycare owner left him inside a hot van in Miami.
This bill, however, comes after a 3-year-old was left in a van in Orlando outside of his daycare, according to WESH 2.
According to Senate Bill SB92, “A parent, legal guardian, or other person responsible for a child younger than 6 years of age may not leave the child unattended or unsupervised in a motor vehicle for any length of time.”
So the bill isn’t just for buses transporting children, but also parents or guardians carrying their children in a personal vehicle.
The bill also says that anyone who violates the bill will face a second-degree misdemeanor, and anyone who leaves a child in a vehicle and causes bodily harm, permanent disability or permanent disfigurement would be committing a third-degree felony.
The bill is still in the works, but if it passes, it will be implemented in law in October 2018.
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