A 3-year-old child died on Monday outside the Miami Gardens Lubavitch Educational Center preschool at 17330 NW Seventh Ave., The Miami Herald reported, citing local police.
The child perished after spending some six hours trapped inside a scorched car during one of the hottest days of the year in Miami – 93°F, with the heat index at 103°F.
According to police, the child was one of several students belonging to the same family who attend the Chabad center. Police believe it was the father, who works at the center, who accidentally left the child locked inside the car when he and the rest of the family left for the school.
The Miami Herald quoted a source inside the Chabad center who said that the father rushed out to the car around 3 PM after someone had mentioned that they saw his child inside the car. He was too late.
The Lubavich Education Center on Monday released a statement calling the child’s death a tragedy and noting that he was the child of two employees of the center. Benzion Korf, head of the Lubavitch facility, said that a therapist and grief counselor will be available for the staff and students on Tuesday.
Police have asked for a warrant to retrieve surveillance video from the school and surrounding buildings.
