A one-year-old girl tragically lost her life after being left in a hot car outside a daycare centre as temperatures soared above 85 degrees Fahrenheit. The child was discovered by a male relative but sadly it was too late to save her life. 

The vehicle was parked outside the Earlwood centre in Sydney, Australia, on Tuesday evening. Despite emergency services rushing to the scene, the little girl was pronounced dead. While an official cause of death is yet to be confirmed, authorities suspect she was “left inside the vehicle for an extended period of time on a very hot day.”

NSW Police Superintendent Christine McDonald issued a stark warning: “Leaving a child in a vehicle at any time can be dangerous. Leaving a child inside a vehicle for an extended period of time can be deadly,” The relative who found the child, and owner of the car, is currently receiving treatment for shock in hospital and will be questioned by police upon recovery.

The mother of the child is cooperating with police inquiries. Investigations are underway to establish how long the child had been left in the car.

Superintendent McDonald described the incident as a “tragedy” and “an extremely traumatic event” for first responders, adding that it has “This has rippling effects right throughout our community because so many of us can put ourselves in a similar situation,” She also highlighted the close-knit nature of childcare centres, where teachers often view the children they care for as their own family, reports Express US.

He offered his condolences, saying: “My thoughts and prayers are with them because that will be a very, very difficult time.” The region experienced scorching heat on Tuesday, with temperatures soaring to almost 86 degrees Fahrenheit.