It's been an emotional day.
On Monday a four month-old baby was found dead in a car. That information alone is enough to make my heart ache. It hits close to home when you have a baby in your life. But there's more. The car was just a few miles from where I live, in the parking lot of the same commuter rail station where Brian and I parked on Sunday. Then today the child's name was released and I learned it was a baby I knew. Little Everett was born in the same hospital as Eli. He and his mom came several times to the new parents group I attend weekly. During one meeting, Everett was crying and his mom was trying to find a pacifier in his diaper bag. Since Eli was asleep in his stroller at the time, I held Everett to help his mom out. I can't get my brain around the idea that the sweet, wiggly baby is now dead.
The death of a child is always stunning. To make sense of it, we try to sort out why it happened. But I'm having a very hard time making sense of Everett's death. Everyone is having a hard time with it.
Everett's mom just started back to work and Everett just started daycare. On Monday morning, Everett's dad apparently forgot his son was in the car and drove directly to the rail station rather than going to the daycare. Leaving the car parked for the day, the dad went off to his banking job in San Francisco. Hours went by. When Everett's mom got off work and went to the daycare to pick Everett up at the end of the day, she discovered he never arrived. She put two and two together and hurried to the station. It was only in the high 60s on Monday, but the temperature in the car still got to more than a hundred. Everett was alive although unconscious when his mother got there but soon died of heat stroke.
I keep asking myself more and more questions. How can a parent forget their child is in the car not just upon parking but for a whole day? I talked to some of the others who knew Everett and his parents. The thing is, they were good parents. This wasn't one of those sad neglect cases. Everett was a much-wanted child who was happy and healthy and well cared for. They are kind people who were exhausted with a new baby (their first) and trying to find a balance with changes in their lives. I don't understand the "whys" of this tragedy. But my thoughts and prayers are with the family. And every time I look at Eli, I find myself even more grateful for his health and well being.
Kids and Cars is an organization that helps educate the public about non-traffic vehicle safety for children. If you have a child or sometimes take care of a child, this site has some great information that can save a life. Everett was left alone in a hot car for a long time, but it actually only takes a few minutes for a child's small body to become overwhelmed by the heat.
Peace to Everett and all who loved him.
Oh what a tragedy. My heart hurts for all who know this family.
Posted by: Norma | June 11, 2009 at 06:09 AM
So sorry, hard to imagine a more painful situation.
Posted by: Caro | June 12, 2009 at 04:18 AM