Fullerton police continue to investigate death of infant found in car

Police were investigating the death of a baby under the age of 2 possibly left in a car near the family home in the downtown Fullerton area on Wednesday.

Officers were called at 3:34 p.m. to the 400 block of West Wilshire Avenue for reports of an infant in a vehicle not breathing, Fullerton Sgt. Eric Bridges said.

The car was parked in front of the family’s home in a small apartment complex, Bridges said. By the time officers arrived, the child had been taken out of the car by someone.

“Officers immediately began life-saving measures with the child,” Bridges said in a statement, with paramedics arriving and taking over. “Unfortunately, despite their best efforts, the child was pronounced deceased at the scene.”

It was unclear if the baby had been left alone.

Police were working to determine the circumstances surrounding the child’s time in the car, Bridges said. The child’s gender and age had not been released yet.

“We are checking residences for security cameras to see how long the child was there,” Bridges said.

The child’s family members were cooperative with investigators, Bridges said, and no arrests had been reported.

Police said they suspect the cause of death could be heat-related but the official determination would be made by coroner officials.

Temperatures were in the low 80s in Fullerton on Wednesday afternoon, National Weather Service records show.