They did not notice that she was left behind
8-year-old Janna Jacobe was found dead inside the vehicle that her family borrowed so that they can visit a mall in Pasay City.
According to her stepmother, they spent their evening in the mall and went home at around 3:00 a.m. She adds that she double checked to see if everyone was out of the vehicle since she said that they borrowed it from one of her husband’s siblings.
However, come morning, they realized that Janna was nowhere to be found. That’s when they started getting worried and then thought of checking inside the car. They then found Janna’s dead body.
Her stepmother shared that they did not notice that she was left behind since there were 10 of them who were packed inside the vehicle.
The child died of suffocation
According to initial reports, Janna died from being suffocated inside the vehicle. They will be conducting an autopsy in order to properly identify the cause of her death.
Authorities say that the car’s driver might be charged with negligence resulting in homicide because of what happened.
The sad incident should serve as a reminder for parents, and relatives not to let any child stay too long alone and unsupervised inside a vehicle.
Go to the next page to learn more about keeping kids safe inside vehicles.
Keeping children safe inside vehicles
As with most things, you should always keep your children’s safety a top priority, especially if you’re inside a car. Here are some useful tips to keep in mind so that your children are always safe:
- Always use a car seat. For younger children, a rear facing car seat is mandatory and required by law if children will be riding in the car. Make sure to follow all of the safety instructions to ensure your child’s safety.
- Never leave your child unattended inside your car, even just for a moment. A lot of things can happen in a split second, that’s why you should never ever, under any circumstances, leave your child unattended inside your car. It might be a bit of a hassle, but it’s for your child’s safety.
- Always have spare keys handy. Having spare car keys is always a good idea. That way, if your child accidentally locks themselves inside your car for whatever reason, you have a spare that you can use to rescue them.
- Make sure that you know where your child is at all times. As a parent, we should always know where our children are at all times. This is why you need to know where your child is, and if possible, keep an eye on them at all times.
- Be aware of your surroundings. Always be aware of what’s happening around you. You can never really tell when an accident might happen, so being aware of your surroundings at all times is very important, especially if you’re with your child.
Sources: gmanetwork.com, today.com
READ: Infant suffocation: Baby dies while drinking milk
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