TEXAS – A few minutes could be the difference between life and death. As we head into the summer months, a nonprofit is warning Texans about the dangers of hot cars.
Extreme summer heat can turn a parked car into a greenhouse, and it’s a recipe for disaster if a child is left inside it.
Since 1990, more than 1,000 children have died in hot cars. Texas has the most reported deaths with more than 150.
“They can overheat in a matter of minutes,” Director of Kids and Car Safety Amber Rollins said.
A child’s body heat rises three to five times faster than an adult, meaning they can suffer fatal heat stroke at 104 degrees. Kids and Car Safety reported two children have already died in hot cars this year in South Carolina and West Virginia.
In 2023, 14 children have died from vehicular heatstroke in the U.S. including 2 in Texas, according to noheatstroke.org. The Texas Heatstroke Task Force joins us with a reminder that this is a serious and preventable tragedy.
“We really believe there’s absolutely no way that we could ever lose awareness that they’re with us,” Rollins said.
Rollins said it happens, though.
“It’s very easy when you’re in autopilot mode, and you’ve got a million things going on, to lose awareness,” Rollins said.
More than half of the deaths of children in a hot car are from someone unknowingly leaving them in the vehicle.
“Open that back door, check the back seat every single time you leave your vehicle,” Rollins said. “Grab a reminder item like a large stuffed animal, put it in the back seat, any time you buckle a child in the car, you bring that reminder item up to the front seat with you as a visual cue that your child is with you.”
On average, 37 children die in hot cars each year in the U.S., according to noheatstroke.org. In over half of these cases, the caregiver forgot the child was in the car. Safe Kids Austin, along with its partner, The Texas Heat Stroke Task Force, is working to address myths and provide prevention tips to keep kids safe.
The report revealed 25 percent of the deaths in hot cars are from children getting into a vehicle on their own and not being able to get out.
“Keep your cars locked 100 percent of the time, keep your keys out of reach,” Rollins said.
Rollins fought for preventative legislation. In 2021, a law was passed that required all new vehicles to have technology that detects if someone is still inside when the engine is off and alerts the driver. It hasn’t been implemented though. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has not written the regulation yet.
“Any delay for something like this is unacceptable. We’re talking about children’s lives here,” Rollins said.
Rollins said they will continue to fight until the technology is in every vehicle.
If you see a child in a hot car, call 911 immediately.
Tuesday was the deadline for Texas families to apply for the state’s first school vouchers. In this week’s episode of the TribCast, hosts Matthew and Eleanor speak with Jaden Edison, the Tribune’s education reporter, about who signed up, the future of the program and why Muslim schools were initially shut out from participating.
Watch the video above or subscribe to the TribCast on iTunes, Spotify, or RSS. New episodes every Tuesday.
2026 Texas Tribune
No. 20 Texas A&M (22–5, 5–4 SEC) returns to Bryan‑College Station this week as the Aggies host Sam Houston (14–13, 4–5 SLC) in a midweek matchup at Olsen Field.
The Aggies are coming off a perfect 4–0 week, taking care of HCU in the midweek before sweeping Missouri in dominant fashion to secure their first SEC series win of the season. Nearly every bat in the lineup contributed, and the conference took notice.
Junior infielder Gavin Grahovac earned SEC Co‑Player of the Week honors, while freshman outfielder Jorian Wilson was named SEC Freshman of the Week. It was a strong showcase of the team’s depth, highlighted further by Nico Partida logging the first multi‑home run game of his young career.
While the pitching staff is still working through inconsistencies, the offense continues to provide enough cushion to withstand the occasional rough inning. The starters delivered several solid stretches over the weekend, but the lack of bullpen depth remains a concern if the bats ever go cold. When the offense stalls, games can get out of hand quickly.
Sam Houston enters the matchup having won six of its last eight and hovering just above .500 for most of the season. Outfielder Jeric Curtis leads the Bearkats with a .345 average, five doubles, and two triples. If he reaches base, his speed makes him a threat to score from anywhere on the field. Still, Sam Houston averages fewer than six runs per game compared to A&M’s nine, meaning they’ll likely need an above‑average offensive night to keep pace.
This will be the 139th meeting between the programs, with Texas A&M holding a commanding 93‑43‑2 advantage. The Aggies have run‑ruled the Bearkats in each of the last two matchups, outscoring them 27–4, and carry a three‑game winning streak into Tuesday. If A&M plays to its standard, the midweek streak should remain intact.
Below is all the information for the game:
The Texas A&M vs Sam Houston game starts at 6 p.m. CT from Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park in Bryan-College Station
Texas A&M: LHP Cole Hubert
Stats: 0-0, 8.75 ERA, 11.1 IP, 13 K, 3 BB
Sam Houston: RHP Mason Muphy
Stats: 0-0, 8.00 ERA, 9.0 IP, 11 K, 8 BB
Radio: Locally Sports Radio 1150/93.7 The Zone
Social: Follow the @AggiesBaseball on X for updates
Internet: 12thMan.com / 12th Man Mobile app for live play-by-play
Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Jarrett Johnson on X: @whosnextsports1.
MAGNOLIA, Texas (KTRK) — Texas Rangers confirmed to ABC13 that they have an active and open investigation into Magnolia Mayor Matthew “Doc” Dantzer following allegations of assault against the city’s secretary.
Bryan Emery spoke to ABC13 on behalf of his fiancée, Christian Gable, the Magnolia City secretary.
Gable told her fiancé what happened last October during an out-of-town work conference with Mayor Dantzer.
Emery said Gable, who was pregnant at the time, told him the mayor was walking her back to the hotel.
“He’s like, ‘Well, that only means one thing, once they get past the belly, they come off easier, and he reaches over there and tries to pull her pants down,’” Emery said.
Next, he said his fiancée threatened to kill the mayor, and when they got back to the hotel, Emery said the mayor went a step further towards Gable.
“He turns around and says this is how he needs to deal with you and grabs her by the throat and pins her up – there’s these big silver pillars in front of valet – pins her up against this pillar in front of the valet, she fights her off, turns around and yells at the valet people ‘nobody seen that, nobody’s going to do anything,’” Emery said.
ABC13 reached out to the attorney representing Mayor Dantzer. He sent ABC13 a statement denying the allegations and saying Dantzer looks forward to defending himself through the legal process.
The city’s attorney said they have no comment, but Emery hopes justice will be served.
“I’m really hoping they get everything they need and get him off the streets pretty soon,” Emery said.
The mayor has not been charged.
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