Child found dead in hot vehicle in Camden County; no charges filed at this time

CAMDEN, New Jersey (WPVI) -- No charges are being filed at this time after a 22-month-old girl died in a vehicle parked at a PATCO station in Camden County, New Jersey.

Police were called Friday afternoon to the PATCO Lindenwold station for a report of an unresponsive child locked in a vehicle.

Authorities discovered a child inside a minivan. They said their efforts to resuscitate the child were unsuccessful.

Many onlookers at the scene were at a loss for words.

"My heart just broke," said Ashely Iwu, whose car was enclosed by the police perimeter.

"I can barely stand outside and so, who can imagine what the temperatures are like in the car, probably in the hundreds," she said.

It's unknown how long the child was inside the vehicle.

Family members said the child suffocated, however authorities have not yet released a cause of death.

Images from the scene showed broken glass next to the minivan. Crime tape was wrapped around surrounding vehicles, and a tarp was draped over the open sliding door of the van.

Officials said they are investigating the circumstances surrounding the child's death.

According to the National Safety Council 52 children died in hot cars in 2018. So far, this year, including Friday's incident, there have been 34 deaths, as reported by the Kids and Cars organization.

"I just don't know how someone could forget their baby, I could never forget my kids," said Lyric from Lindenwold.