Heat — Roosevelt County, New Mexico

2017-07-17 · Roosevelt County, New Mexico

Event narrative

An infant and a toddler were left in a hot car for nearly 90 minutes in Portales, NM while temperatures outside were in the middle 90s. The infant died at a nearby hospital and the other is in critical condition at a hospital in Lubbock, TX.

Wider weather episode

Authorities in Portales, New Mexico say two in-home day care workers who are mother and daughter have been arrested on suspicion of child abuse after two young children were left in a hot car for about 90 minutes following a trip to the park. One child is dead and the other is in critical condition. The high temperature in the Portales area was 95 degrees. Police say officers responded to a report that two children were having seizures at the home day care Tuesday afternoon discovered that the girls were not breathing and began lifesaving measures. Family members told a reporter with the Eastern New Mexico News that Maliyah Jones, who was 22 months old, died at Roosevelt General Hospital. According to court records, the newspaper reported on its website that Aubrianna Loya, whose age was listed as under 3, was transferred to a Lubbock hospital in critical condition.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 703303. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.