Last updated: July 1, 2026

Florida Toddler Found Dead in SUV After Missed Daycare Drop-Off

A 23-month-old boy was found dead Monday afternoon inside his family's SUV outside A World of Discovery Academy in Plantation, Florida, after his father arrived for pickup and realized he had never dropped the child off that morning. Police and fire crews responded at about 5:39 p.m., and firefighters pronounced the boy dead at the scene.

The Full Story

The discovery came at the end of the daycare day on Monday, June 29. According to ABC News' account of the police response, officers and fire crews were sent to the preschool after a report of a child inside a vehicle. The child was pronounced dead, and detectives opened a death investigation.

Leslie Novoa, owner of A World of Discovery Academy, said she and the boy's father found the toddler in the back seat after the father arrived to pick him up and realized the morning drop-off had never happened. WPLG reported that the father learned his son had been marked absent before checking the SUV. Newser, citing the Sun Sentinel, reported that the parents shared drop-off duties and had said their two older children would be absent that Monday, so staff were not alarmed when the youngest did not arrive. Novoa said she called 911 and described the family as loving parents whose three children had attended the school over six years.

Investigators spent hours at the scene gathering evidence. WSVN reported that detectives had not disclosed how long the child was in the SUV, the medical cause of death, or what events led to the tragedy.

As of Wednesday morning, police had not announced whether anyone would face charges. The daycare said it was supporting the family and school community and would cooperate fully with investigators.

Who's Involved

The child was a 23-month-old boy whose family had been connected to A World of Discovery Academy for years. His father was the parent who arrived for pickup and discovered that the child had remained in the SUV instead of being dropped off.

Novoa, the academy's owner, helped call 911 and has spoken publicly about the family's history with the school. Plantation Police detectives are leading the investigation, while the Plantation Fire Department responded to the scene and pronounced the child dead.

The preschool told families that the emergency did not involve school operations, students, or staff. It also said the campus remained secure during the response.

By the Numbers

The boy was 23 months old, and emergency crews responded at approximately 5:39 p.m. KidsandCars.org says about 40 children die in hot cars each year in the United States, with roughly half of those deaths involving a parent or caregiver who unintentionally left the child inside.

Those figures give the Plantation case a broader national context, even though police have not publicly confirmed the toddler's cause of death. The investigation is focused on this specific child's death, while the safety statistics describe a recurring U.S. risk.

What This Means

The case has renewed attention on hot-car deaths (fatal incidents involving children left in dangerously heated vehicles) and on simple routines that can interrupt a busy morning. The central safety lesson is not based on blaming one family; it is that a forgotten drop-off can have catastrophic consequences.

For parents and caregivers across the United States, the practical advice in the reporting is specific. KidsandCars.org recommends placing a visual or physical reminder in the front seat, such as a stuffed animal that normally stays with the child's car seat. Other reminders mentioned by the group include leaving a shoe or an item needed for work in the back seat, forcing the driver to check that area before walking away.

The daycare owner's reminder was equally direct: confirm the child was actually dropped off and check the back seat. These steps matter because the available reporting says the father did not realize the child had remained in the vehicle until he returned for pickup.

What to Expect

Plantation Police are continuing the death investigation. The confirmed next steps are continued evidence review and cooperation from the daycare; authorities have not announced a charging decision or released a cause of death.

The school has said its focus is supporting the grieving family and community. Any further determination about criminal charges or the circumstances of the child's death would need to come from investigators.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened to the toddler at the Florida preschool?

A 23-month-old boy was found dead inside an SUV outside A World of Discovery Academy in Plantation, Florida, on Monday, June 29. His father had arrived for pickup and realized the child had never been dropped off that morning.

What time was the child found in the SUV?

Police and fire crews responded at approximately 5:39 p.m. Firefighters pronounced the child dead at the scene, and detectives opened an investigation.

Has the toddler's cause of death been confirmed?

No. Police had not publicly specified the medical cause of death, how long the child was in the SUV, or what led up to the incident in the latest source reporting.

Will the father face charges?

Police had not announced any charges as of Wednesday morning. The case remained under investigation, and authorities had not disclosed whether anyone would be charged.

How can parents help prevent children from being left in cars?

KidsandCars.org recommends using a visible reminder, such as moving a stuffed animal from the car seat to the front of the vehicle when a child is riding. The group also suggests leaving a shoe or an item needed for work in the back seat so the driver must check there before leaving.