(NEW YORK) — A 9-month-old child has died after his grandmother left him in a car for nearly eight hours. Authorities believe the death was heat-related.

The incident occurred on Wednesday in Beeville, Texas, about 100 miles southeast of San Antonio, when a child was found unconscious in the car seat of his grandmother’s car around 4 p.m., according to a statement from Beeville police.

“Beeville Police investigators are currently on the scene of an apparent temperature-related death of a 9-month-old child,” authorities said in their statement Wednesday. “A preliminary investigation has determined that the child’s grandmother had left the child in the car seat in the back seat of her car since approximately 8:30 a.m. this morning. The child was found unconscious by the grandmother at approximately 4 p.m.”

Just one day earlier, a 22-month-old toddler was found dead in another suspected heat-related accident involving an overheated car in Corpus Christi.

“The incident is being treated as criminal homicide,” police said. “Beeville Police are being assisted by the Texas Rangers of the Department of Public Safety. No charges have been filed in connection with this case, but such charges are expected to be filed.”

According to Kids and Car Safety, there were at least 25 more cases of children dying in overheated cars in the United States in 2024. Texas recorded the most child deaths from overheated cars from 1990 to 2023, with a total of 156 deaths.

The investigation in this case is still open.

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