A two-year-old boy has died after being left sleeping inside a car outside his family’s fruit shop in Brazil, with the vehicle’s air-conditioning system reportedly malfunctioning while temperatures soared above 30°C.
Ravi Rocha da Silva died in the incident on Oct 28 in Senador Canedo, in the central Brazilian state of Goias, during a spring heatwave.
According to military police, Ravi was placed in the back seat of the family vehicle at around 9am, with its windows initially rolled down.
About 30 minutes later, his mother noticed that the toddler was sweating heavily in the heat. She reportedly started the engine, wound up the windows and switched on the air-conditioning before returning to work at the shop.
The tragedy came to light at around 12.30pm when Ravi’s father returned from collecting supplies for the business and went to check on his son.
He found the toddler unconscious in the back seat. Although the engine was still running, the air-conditioning system appeared to have stopped working.
Paramedics and firefighters rushed to the scene and attempted to revive the boy, but he could not be saved.
Ravi’s mother reportedly collapsed in shock after discovering what had happened and was taken to hospital for emergency treatment.
Detective Gabriela Souza de Moura, from the Child and Adolescent Protection Police Station, confirmed that an investigation had been launched. Both parents are expected to be formally questioned.
Investigators believe the mother regularly allowed Ravi to sleep inside the vehicle while she attended to customers at the family shop.
Forensic experts are now examining the car to establish why its cooling system allegedly malfunctioned.
Ravi was laid to rest at Cemiterio Parque Memorial on Thursday, with family members and friends gathering for his funeral.
Goiania’s Municipal Department of Culture also issued a statement expressing condolences and solidarity with the family, particularly Ravi’s grandmother, Jaqueline Jordana de Oliveira, who works for the department.
The case has renewed concerns over children being left inside vehicles during hot weather. According to National Safety Council data cited by The Sun, 25 children have died in hot cars across the United States so far this year.
