A three-year-old boy has died after being left in his stepmother’s car for more than 10 hours in sweltering heat in Brazil.
Miguel Antunes Versari was found dead in a red Chrysler after his stepmother allegedly forgot he was asleep in the back seat.
The tragic incident occurred in Videira, Brazil, on April 25 when temperatures reached 31C.
The child’s dehydrated body was discovered when his stepmother went to collect him from nursery, only to realise she had never dropped him off that morning.
Miguel Antunes Versari was found dead in a red Chrysler
Inside the vehicle, temperatures could have soared to over 57C, comparable to a warming oven.
The stepmother was supposed to drop Miguel at nursery at 7.00am after taking his mother to work.
Instead, she continued with her day, forgetting the sleeping child remained in the vehicle.
A police spokesman explained: “Yesterday, she said that the child had flu-like symptoms and was medicated with ibuprofen. So he was not as active as usual and was sleeping in the back seat of the vehicle.”
“After leaving her partner at work, she did not realise that the child was sleeping,” the spokesperson added.
The horrifying discovery was made only when she prepared to collect Miguel from the nursery later that day.
The child had been suffering from flu-like symptoms and had been given ibuprofen before the journey.
This medication likely contributed to his drowsiness and deep sleep in the back seat of the car.
During the peak of the day, temperatures in Videira reached approximately 31C outdoors.
Experts note that inside a parked car under such conditions, temperatures can escalate dramatically to over 57C.
This extreme heat creates conditions similar to a warming oven, making survival virtually impossible for extended periods.
The combination of the child’s illness, medication, and the extreme heat created a fatal situation during the 10-hour period he was left unattended.
The tragic incident occurred in Videira, Brazil, on April 25 when temperatures reached 31C
Wikimedia Commons
Authorities are now investigating the circumstances surrounding Miguel’s death.
Police are awaiting the results of an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.
Investigators are also reviewing CCTV footage from around the family home to establish a timeline of events.
The footage may provide crucial evidence regarding the movements of the stepmother on the day of the incident.
No charges have been filed as of yet, with officials waiting for the full forensic report.
Police have not released information about potential legal consequences the stepmother might face pending the investigation’s outcome.
