Flagler County Sheriff's Office shows the danger of leaving a child or pet in a hot car

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The Flagler County Sheriff's Office (FCSO) says that they have teamed up with the Department of Children and Families (DCF) to host a demonstration on the dangers of leaving a child inside a vehicle.

Last month, more infants died in hot car deaths than any other July in nearly a decade, according to research completed by San Jose State University.

On a typical summer day, police say a parked car can reach well above 120 degrees. Those temperatures create a great risk for heat stroke, which can lead to high fever, dehydration, seizures, stroke, or even death. 

Police went on to say that on average, 37 children die each year from being left inside a hot car in the United States. 

At the Target parking lot in Palm Coast, the FCSO and DCF turned off the air conditioning of a car and set a timer. Although the temperature outside was 91 degrees, the temperature inside was 105 in just ten minutes. After 20 minutes, the temperature was at 110 degrees.

Sheriff Rick Staly says that "even if you plan to run into the store real quick to grab something, it will likely take you 15 to 20 minutes to complete your purchase and get back to the car. By that time, it could already be too late." 

Police say that a child's body temperature raises five times faster than an adult's temperature. 

Studies show that cracking a window does not help.

Sheriff Staly went on to say that "Many people think this could not happen to them, but all it takes is one 'off' day and things can change. Be proactive and use the tools we've presented to keep kids safe."

"If it has a heartbeat, don't leave it in car," said Sheriff Staly. "It doesn't matter if it's a dog or a cat. If it has a heartbeat, take it out of the car with you to wherever you are going."

The Flagler County Sheriff's Office says that at least 729 children have died in the United States due to overheating -- 29 of those being in 2017.