4-year-old McHenry-area girl climbed into hot minivan on her own, cops say
A 4-year-old girl found unresponsive inside a hot minivan Tuesday near McHenry remains hospitalized, officials said.
The girl apparently climbed into the car without anyone's knowledge after overhearing a conversation about going to dinner at her grandmother's house, according to a news release from the McHenry County sheriff's office. The car was outside her residence on Holly Court near McHenry.
The family began looking for the girl 15-20 minutes later and found her unresponsive in the car, authorities said, at which point her mother immediately took her out of the car and called 911.
When sheriff's deputies arrived at the home about 3:30 p.m., officials said, McHenry fire officials were tending to the girl. She was taken to Centegra Northern Illinois Medical Center in McHenry, then transferred to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge.
Temperatures were in the mid-80s that day; experts say temperatures inside a vehicle can reach 120 degrees in 30 minutes.
Sheriff's officials say an investigation is ongoing, and the family is being cooperative.