Authorities in Galicia, Spain, have declared two days of mourning after a two-year-old girl died of heatstroke when she was accidentally left in her father's car during an unseasonably hot spell that could push temperatures to 38C (100F) in some areas.
The child, who has not been named, went into cardiac arrest on Wednesday afternoon after spending several hours inside the vehicle in the town of Brión. Her father had driven his older child to school that morning and intended to drop the toddler at nursery but was distracted by a phone call. Instead, he went to work, leaving the girl in the car.
The alarm was raised when the mother went to pick up the girl from nursery at 3pm and was told she had not been dropped off. The parents called emergency services, and the girl was taken to a health centre in Bertamiráns, where she was pronounced dead.
Police are investigating the incident, and the family is receiving psychological support. Brión town council declared two days of official mourning and announced a minute's silence for Friday. The council offered condolences and support to the family and friends, stating, "May she rest in peace."
Spain is bracing for extreme heat more typical of midsummer. The state meteorological office, Aemet, said "exceptionally high temperatures" could reach 36-38C in southern parts of the country. This follows a prolonged period of below-normal temperatures in May. The hot spell, which does not technically qualify as a heatwave, is expected to last until mid-next week.
Spain, highly exposed to climate change effects, has seen increasing heatwaves and large forest fires. A 2022 Aemet study found that the arrival of 30C temperatures across Spain and the Balearic Islands has advanced by 20-40 days over the past 71 years. Aemet spokesperson Rubén del Campo noted that "the summer is eating up the spring," describing rising temperatures as a direct consequence of climate change. Spain recorded its highest temperature ever in August 2021, reaching 47.6C in La Rambla, near Córdoba.
