El Pasoans create solutions for child car deaths

Nearly 20 heatstroke deaths of children left in cars have occurred in 2014, but two El Pasoans have created solutions to prevent these tragedies.

Grandmother Hortencia Chavez created a placard that says on one side “Child in Vehicle” and on the other side, “Do not forget me.”

The placard easily sticks to any window in the car and Chavez said this is an opportunity to help prevent future deaths of children in hot cars.

“This can help remind every caretaker parent grandparent to take care of their children,” Chavez said. “They are our future, we need to take care of them and make sure that we do not forget them in a vehicle.”

Chavez said these placards cost $3.50 each and can be purchased on the website here.

Not only is Chavez taking action to help with the increase in child deaths, but father Carl Allan Litts said he is working on an idea to also help with the issue.

His prototype is run by a pressure sensor which is alerted by the child’s weight in the car seat. When the child is in the seat and the car is turned off an alarm goes off to alert the parent the child is still in the back seat.

“This can be put into a car seat or car cover, plug it into the car and at that point in time you should not see anybody say you know I forgot my kid in the car,” Litts said.

Litts and his son who helped with the creation of the product have started calling it the “Forget-me-not.” While the idea is still in it’s beginning stages Litts said he hopes it is in stores by next summer.

“I cant see this anymore on the news,” Litts said. “When something so simple that came to me can save lives. Why postpone, why wait?” It needs to end and we can start with something like this.”

While Litts has not yet created the product to its final stages, he said he will keep in touch with ABC-7 until then.