HOUSTON – Neighbors remembered a 3-year-old boy who died Thursday as an energizer bunny.
A little kid who was on the go 100 percent of the time.
That 3-year-old, Evan Trapolino, died after he was found in a hot car in north Houston.
A Houston Police Department spokesperson said Trapolino’s death was a tragic accident. He had apparently walked out the front door of his house and to a car parked in the front yard, where detectives say he climbed in the front door, crawled into the back seats and couldn’t get out because of child locks on the doors.
The family called 911 just before 2 p.m. and ambulances rushed him to Lyndon B. Johnson General Hospital. Doctors were unable to save him.
Witnesses said he was pale and not moving when he was pulled from the car. Houston Firefighters said he suffered from cardiac arrest.
Neighbors across the street said they heard the boy’s mother scream for help.
“She was screaming and crying for help,” said Marlene Gonzales.
Efrain Lopez, Trapolino’s grandfather, said Trapolino was a beautiful baby.
“We had great times together,” Lopez said.
Detectives said an investigation is ongoing but it doesn’t appear any charges will be filed. CPS has been notified of the incident, as is protocol. Trapolino was the youngest of four children.
“A complete freak accident. Little boy was out playing around. Nobody saw him or heard him go outside,” said neighbor Chris Johnson. “Anything having to do with a kid, especially a 3-year-old, it hurts.”
While the family grieves, Lopez thinks about the good times he had with his grandson.
“A lot of times we just played around and we would bring the other kids and we just played together,” Lopez said.
Neighbor remembered the little on in the same way, too, while also focusing on what they can do for his family.
“How are we gonna help the family right now, get through this?” Johnson said.
All of Southeast Texas, including Houston, is under a heat advisory. Highs in Houston reached 96 degrees Thursday with the index, or feels-like temperature, well into the mid-100s.
“We want to remind citizens that rising summer temperatures can cause an increase risk of heat stroke, resulting in brain damage and death from children being left in hot cars,” HFD officials said.