Three-year-old boy found dead inside hot car in Sydney’s west

A desperate father smashed in the back window of his car to retrieve his three-year-old son but the child, who is believed to have been in the steaming hot vehicle all day, could not be saved.

A distraught father smashed in the back window of his blue sedan to retrieve his three-year-old son on Thursday but the child, who is believed to have been in the steaming hot vehicle all day, could not be saved.

Police and paramedics were called to Glenfield, near Campbelltown, about 3pm to reports a child had been found unresponsive in a car on Railway Pde.

“NSW Ambulance paramedics attended; however, the three-year-old died at the scene. Officers from Campbelltown City Police Area Command were told the child had been in the vehicle throughout the day,” a statement from NSW Police said.

A witness who saw the boy being pulled from the car told The Daily Telegraph the boy’s father had punched a hole in the back window after seeing his son unconscious inside.

They said the boy was taken into the nearby bottle shop where onlookers tried to resuscitate him.

Police provide a privacy screen as the boy’s body is removed from the scene. Picture: Jonathan Ng

Police have cordoned off this car as they carry out investigations in Railway Parade, Glenfield. Picture: TNV

The scene of the fatality in Glenfield this afternoon. Picture: TNV

Police are investigating whether the man left the boy in the car after dropping another child to school in the morning and only realising the boy was still inside when he returned in the afternoon.

Areas of Sydney recorded maximum temperatures above 30C throughout Thursday. Campbelltown, near Glenfield, recorded a top of 33.9C at 4.51pm, according to Bureau of Meteorology data.

An employee of a nearby grocery store, who did not wish to be named, said the man was a regular at the shop.

“It’s really sad. Very distressing,” he said.

“They’re regular customers, they come in all the time.”

The owner of the car called the police when he found the boy unresponsive. Picture: TNV

Police on the scene on Railway Parade in Glenfield. Picture: Jonathan Ng

The boy’s father collapsed on the adjacent footpath in tears, as friends tried to console him.

Blood ran down his right hand.

A woman and other young children arrived at the scene and were also seen in tears yesterday.

The father was then taken to Campbelltown Police Station where he was expected to be charged at some point last night.

A witness said the boy was taken to a bottle shop and onlookers attempted to revive him. Picture: TNV

A woman talks to police at the crime scene. Picture: TNV

Ambulance officers said the boy died at the scene. Picture: TNV

Detectives remained at the scene for hours on Thursday, examining the vehicle.

Child safety advocates Kidsafe claim more than 5000 children are rescued from hot cars in Australia every year – the majority being babies and toddlers.

“Leaving children unattended in a car – even for a short period of time – can be fatal,” Kidsafe’s website says.

“Children are particularly at risk because they can lose fluid quickly, become dehydrated and suffer from heatstroke.”