An 18-month-old baby girl has died after being trapped in a car in Belgium when her parents allegedly forgot to drop her off at nursery before heading to work.
The child was discovered unconscious in the Flemish Brabant region. Her older sister had been dropped off at primary school earlier on Friday, but the parents are alleged to have driven off to work before leaving the little girl inside the car. It is reported that the mother only realised when she arrived at the primary school to pick up the elder daughter.
Emergency response and hospital
Emergency services were called to the scene and tried to resuscitate the young girl before she was taken to UZ Gasthuisberg hospital. Tragically, she has since died.
An investigation into the death has now been launched by prosecutors, and an autopsy is set to be carried out today.
Prosecutor's statement
The prosecutor's office told HLN.Be: “One of her parents was supposed to take her to daycare in the morning but forgot that the child was still in the car.”
The office added that the tragedy is assumed to have been an accident.
Community support
Bertem mayor Joel Vander Elst said: “I can’t say much about the matter yet because it is all very sensitive and the public prosecutor is still investigating.”
The local council and school have arranged psychological support for pupils and teachers who knew the baby girl and her older sister. The mayor said: "The municipal primary school ‘t Zonneveld will open as usual tomorrow with normal classes. We will, however, set up a quiet room for teachers and children who had contact with the sister of the young victim, who attends the school in the first grade."
