Relatives mark first anniversary of 10-month-old baby’s death in hot car

JACKSONVILLE, Florida – When summer temperatures are scorching, keeping children safe during the summer is paramount. That’s why child safety advocates have reminded parents and guardians that it only takes a minute for tragedy to strike.

For Pamela Paige, tragedy struck home.

July 19 will mark one year since Paige’s granddaughter, Ariya, died after being left in a hot car in Baker County.

“I always say, ‘If only I could go back in time, if only we could go back in time and get Ariya back,’” Paige said. “You never imagine that this could happen to you.”

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The child’s babysitter has now been charged in the case.

Since Ariya’s death, Paige and her family have advocated for child safety, even pushing the Florida legislature to create “Ariya’s Law,” which declares April “Hot Car Death Prevention Month.”

The law also aims to raise awareness and educate.

“We are advocating for this measure, firstly to prevent this from happening to other children. Secondly, so that Ariya is never forgotten again,” Paige explained.

Last week, a toddler died in a hot car in Bradenton. And this week, a 2-year-old was pulled from a hot car in Ormond Beach, according to a report.

Heat-related deaths are just the beginning. Child drownings are also a concern. Child safety advocates said they tend to occur more during the warmer months.

Leah Othmer of Safe Kids Northeast Florida said it’s important for parents and caregivers to remember that drowning can happen in an instant.

“I think the conventional wisdom is that drowning is not a mass phenomenon, but a very quiet event,” Othmer said. “In movies and TV shows, it’s presented as a very turbulent, screaming, yelling event, but it’s a quiet event.”

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According to Othmer, it’s common for drownings to occur at a pool party with multiple people around. That’s why Safe Kids Northeast Florida hands out Water Watcher badges. When someone wears the Water Watcher badge, it means they’ve been designated as the adult whose sole job is to keep an eye on the children in the pool.

Othmer said it was important for adults to change their approach.

“I like to tell parents and guardians to rotate intervals with other parents and guardians,” Othmer says. “So every 15 minutes or so, you can give the Water Watcher badge or whatever you use to designate the adult, but pass it to another adult. That way, you can have fun at the party, too.”

Whether it’s at the pool or in the car, knowing that hot days will continue in the coming months, extra caution is needed to save lives. Paige said that while Ariya’s Law is a good start, it’s only the beginning.

“We’re going to advocate for more laws because I don’t understand how we can be so careful about speeding and not want to get a ticket for speeding,” Paige said. “Or not want to get a ticket for not wearing a seat belt, but we need more laws to hold people more accountable. Because for some reason, we’re more cautious when we know there’s more penalties behind certain things.”

Paige said her life’s mission now is to help save other children, in honor of her granddaughter.

“Hug your children as often as you can,” Paige said. “And imagine if they couldn’t be in your arms.”

To learn more about water safety, visit this website.

For information on child car safety, visit this website.