Texas' horrific statistics

Dallas (AP)-The latest victim was 6 months old when her father left her in the back seat of his truck in a church parking lot on an infernal late June day two years ago. Nearly every day since, he has asked himself the same question: How could he have forgotten his precious little girl?

"It's just something that people absolutely think cannot happen to them," Her mother said recently as she sat with her husband in the living room of their Dallas-area home. "And we were one of them."

But it does happen, and with alarming frequency. Since 1998, at least 41 youngsters have perished in Texas after being left or becoming trapped in a hot vehicle. That's more than any other state and about 12 percent of the nationwide total.

Last week, two registered nurses in San Antonio, reported a mother who left her young daughter inside a car without the air conditioner on. "we just turned off our car and tried to experienced what that little girl must have felt," said one of the nurses. The police soon came and questioned the irresponsible mother of the child.

As Texans, we need to be aware of the possible dangers and possible injuries that can be caused to our children, when left unattended in the sun. Let us be more responsible citizens and concern parents. If you witness such behavior, please contact your local police.