DAYTON, Ohio -- In 2008, at least 42 children died of heat stroke across the United States, when they became trapped in a vehicle. It’s something that happens every year as temperatures warm.

Recently a Kentucky family lost a toddler when the 2-year-old’s grandparents accidentally left her in the car. They said they were dealing with another emergency at the time.

“They found my baby still strapped in the car seat helpless,” said Diane Meekins, one of the toddler’s family members.

Stories like this happen several times a year.

“We have so many tragedies every year; people just forgetting. Period. You know, it’s a shame,” said James Cooper.

Cooper's 3-year old granddaughter Maddison is his precious cargo. He takes great car with her, as do many caregivers, but accidents still happen.

“Sometimes a child is left inside of the car, you know the parent just ran in,” said Jessica Saunders, injury prevention coordinator at the Children’s Medical Center of Dayton. “Sometimes a child is left because a parent’s routine changed.”

Either way, the temperature rises quickly inside a car.

Saunders set a thermometer on a car to demonstrate just how quickly the inside temperature warms. When she set it down the thermometer read 83 degrees. Just about five minutes later the inside of the car had soared to 116 degrees.

That kind of heat is especially dangerous for children.

“A child’s body temperature rises a lot faster than adults',” said Saunders. “Just a couple seconds in the car can affect a child drastically. They can get heat stroke.”

Heat stroke can lead to death.

Saunders encourages people to call 911 whenever they see a child left unattended inside a vehicle.