Florida toddler dies after father leaves him in sweltering car outside daycare

An 18-month-old boy in Plantation, FL died after his father forgot him in a sweltering car while dropping him off at a bilingual daycare. The academy staff discovered the child when the father returned to pick him up; police opened a death investigation. The incident, during a Florida heatwave, marks the third hot-car death in the state in 2026. Authorities warn that cars can heat up quickly, and stress the need for vigilant child-safety around vehicles.