This Boy Died in a Hot Car, but Not Because His Parents Left Him Inside

There's sadly been no shortage of "Child Left in Hot Car" headlines this Summer, but the latest death isn't one most parents would ever expect. Zachary Elshaarawy, a 5-year-old boy from Texas, didn't die because his dad left him in the car — instead, he'd simply wandered out of the family's house and into an unlocked vehicle parked on the street.

As soon as Zachary, who has autism, was discovered in the car, he was rushed to the hospital in critical condition but died in the emergency room, according to his father, Darek, who said his son had strayed before but never like this.

His father was putting together a swing set in the backyard when family members realized he was gone, at most 20 minutes later. They reported him missing, and after police and neighbors canvassed the area, he was found unresponsive inside the family's Ford sedan. Based on his condition and the 100-degree temperatures, he was likely inside for up to an hour.

"I don't know how I'm going to live," Darek told WFAA News. "He was happy to go to school [tomorrow]. He knew he was going to go."