Storm Lake toddler dies in hot car
2:20 PM
By Nicole Paseka Journal staff writer | Posted: Friday, July 06, 2007
A 2-year-old Storm Lake, Iowa, boy died after his uncle left the toddler in a parked car for five hours Thursday afternoon, police said today.
Steven Saavedra, the son of Jorge Saavedra and Cecilia Vargas, both of Storm Lake, was found dead in the car by his mother and his uncle.
According to a report by the Storm Lake Police Department, the boy's uncle, Noe Vargas, 18, of Storm Lake, picked up at Steven at about 2:30 p.m. Thursday at the toddler's home, 1716 Tulip Lane.
Noe Vargas planned to walk with Steven to his home which was just up the street from the apartment complex where the child lived. But while walking past the parking lot, Steven asked to get into his mother's car.
Noe Vargas allowed Steven to get into the car, walked home alone and then forgot about him, according to police reports.
At about 7:45 p.m., Cecilia Vargas went to Noe Vargas' house to retrieve her son. When he was not there, Cecilia Vargas and Noe Vargas returned to the parking lot where they discovered Steven's body.
Temperatures on Thursday afternoon in Storm Lake reached 88 degrees with a heat index of more than 90 degrees.
Capt. Todd Erskine of the Storm Lake Police Department said no car windows were rolled down.
When asked if the child was locked inside of the vehicle, Erskine said, "I'm not going to answer that question. There's not a good way for me to answer that question."
The Storm Lake Police Department was contacted after the mother and uncle found the toddler. Officers arrived to find the child's body lying on the ground of the apartment complex parking lot.
Erskine said efforts were made to revive Steven, but he would not say by whom.
An examination of the child's body by police officers and Buena Vista County Paramedics revealed the child "had been dead for some time," according to a police report.
Noe Vargas was arrested and charged with child endangerment causing death, a Class B felony. He was booked into the Buena Vista County Jail on a $32,500 cash bond.
Noe Vargas was not under the influence of alcohol or drugs when he left the toddler in the parked car, Erskine said in an interview today.
The child's death remains under investigation. Steven's body was taken to the State Medical Examiner's Office in Ankeny, Iowa, for an autopsy. Erskine said the cause of death has not yet been released.
Erskine said the community can learn from Steven's death.
"We have to remember how hot it is this time of year and how quickly cars heat up," Erskine said.
"It's a sad day," he added.
Journal staff writer Nicole Paseka can be reached at 712-293-4276 or nicolepaseka@siouxcityjournal.com.
Steven Saavedra, the son of Jorge Saavedra and Cecilia Vargas, both of Storm Lake, was found dead in the car by his mother and his uncle.
According to a report by the Storm Lake Police Department, the boy's uncle, Noe Vargas, 18, of Storm Lake, picked up at Steven at about 2:30 p.m. Thursday at the toddler's home, 1716 Tulip Lane.
Noe Vargas planned to walk with Steven to his home which was just up the street from the apartment complex where the child lived. But while walking past the parking lot, Steven asked to get into his mother's car.
Noe Vargas allowed Steven to get into the car, walked home alone and then forgot about him, according to police reports.
At about 7:45 p.m., Cecilia Vargas went to Noe Vargas' house to retrieve her son. When he was not there, Cecilia Vargas and Noe Vargas returned to the parking lot where they discovered Steven's body.
Temperatures on Thursday afternoon in Storm Lake reached 88 degrees with a heat index of more than 90 degrees.
Capt. Todd Erskine of the Storm Lake Police Department said no car windows were rolled down.
When asked if the child was locked inside of the vehicle, Erskine said, "I'm not going to answer that question. There's not a good way for me to answer that question."
The Storm Lake Police Department was contacted after the mother and uncle found the toddler. Officers arrived to find the child's body lying on the ground of the apartment complex parking lot.
Erskine said efforts were made to revive Steven, but he would not say by whom.
An examination of the child's body by police officers and Buena Vista County Paramedics revealed the child "had been dead for some time," according to a police report.
Noe Vargas was arrested and charged with child endangerment causing death, a Class B felony. He was booked into the Buena Vista County Jail on a $32,500 cash bond.
Noe Vargas was not under the influence of alcohol or drugs when he left the toddler in the parked car, Erskine said in an interview today.
The child's death remains under investigation. Steven's body was taken to the State Medical Examiner's Office in Ankeny, Iowa, for an autopsy. Erskine said the cause of death has not yet been released.
Erskine said the community can learn from Steven's death.
"We have to remember how hot it is this time of year and how quickly cars heat up," Erskine said.
"It's a sad day," he added.
Journal staff writer Nicole Paseka can be reached at 712-293-4276 or nicolepaseka@siouxcityjournal.com.
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Ruben wrote on Jul 7, 2007 5:03 PM:
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