EXCLUSIVE
A father whose three-year-old son died when he was accidentally left in a hot car has sent a powerful message to others, warning of the dangers of forgotten baby syndrome.
Newaz Hasan packed his two sons into his car in western Sydney on February 2 for the morning school run, dropping his eldest off at primary school and believing he had taken his youngest to daycare before returning to their Glenfield home to to work.
But when he returned to his car in the afternoon to pick up the boys, he made a shocking discovery: his youngest son, Arikh, was still strapped into the backseat.
Arikh had sat in the scorching car for six hours on a 35-degree day, while the vehicle was parked in the driveway.
Mr Hasan rushed his unconscious toddler to a nearby shop and desperately began CPR until the ambulance arrived, but despite their efforts it was already too late.
Now Mr Hasan – who has never been charged with any wrongdoing – has issued a timely warning to other Australians, with NSW, inland South Australia and southern Queensland expected to bear the brunt of the sweltering temperatures on Saturday.
Temperatures in Sydney are expected to reach 44 degrees Celsius, 37 degrees Celsius in Canberra, 36 degrees Celsius in Adelaide and 31 degrees Celsius and in Brisbane.
Arikh Hasan (pictured) tragically died in February after being accidentally left in the back of a car. He was three years old
Mr Hasan is comforted at the scene of the February tragedy. He and other bystanders tried to save the boy's life, but it was too late
“Hot weather can turn a family like mine upside down,” he said. 'I'm nervous and worried.
'I love my children like all parents do. Children's safety is always my top priority.
“If someone had shared with me before February what I'm sharing with you today, I would now have a family as happy as yours.”
Mr Hasan said 'forgotten baby syndrome' refers to accidentally leaving a baby or young child in a locked car, often with tragic consequences.
Causes include lack of sleep, stress, change in routine, burnout and fatigue, distraction, changing caregivers or working hours, being late, alternating driving, anxiety and depression or feeling unwell.
The best way to prevent forgotten baby syndrome, parents and caregivers are advised, is to manage stress and adopt good sleep habits, avoid phone calls while driving, hold yourself accountable for your child's safety and always front and rear seats before leaving the vehicle. .
The Hasan family is depicted together in happier times
Police duct-taped the car in Glenfield after Arikh was discovered in the backseat
Other safety tips include making it a habit to open the back door every time you park, leaving the baby bag on the front passenger seat, and placing the baby car seat in the center of the backseat.
Parents can also have their child care provider call if the baby isn't dropped off, be extra alert if your routine changes, keep a stuffed animal in the car, or install and use preventative measures.
Mr Hasan said that between February and August this year, 16 children died after being left in hot cars in the United States, leaving their families devastated as he was.
Psychology professor David Diamond says the 'forgotten baby syndrome' is not a problem of negligence, but rather of memory.
“The most common response is that only bad or negligent parents forget children in cars,” he told Consumer Reports. 'It's a matter of circumstances. It can happen to anyone.'
According to the research of Dr. Diamond, disruption to routine – such as vacations typical of the summer – is a common factor in these tragedies.
At the time of Arikh's death, Mr Hasan told the media that his son was sleeping in the car that day and was not talking to him during the car journey, as he usually would.
He believes the silence made him forget his son was there.
Above is an information poster shared by Mr. Hasan to raise awareness about Forgotten Baby Syndrome
After taking his eldest son, six, to school, Mr Hasan forgot to take Arikh to daycare. Instead, he drove back to the house, parked in the driveway, and then went back inside to work.
In the afternoon he returned to the car – because he did not see his youngest son still sitting in the back behind the driver's seat – and went to pick up his eldest child.
It wasn't until he picked up his eldest son and returned to the car that he realized his fatal mistake. However, the incident is far from an isolated incident.
More than 5,000 children are rescued from unattended cars in Australia every year and at least 10 cases have been fatal in the past five years.
In January 2023, just a month before little Arikh's death, the NRMA rescued 213 children from hot cars in NSW and the ACT.
NRMA spokesman Peter Khoury said temperatures inside cars doubled compared to outside, meaning figures in the high 30s or 40s could quickly prove fatal.
“It's very dangerous all year round, regardless of the weather,” Khoury said. 'But it is especially dangerous during the Australian summers.
“That's clearly no place for a child, even for a few minutes.
'It doesn't take long for children to become severely dehydrated before organ failure occurs, followed by potentially catastrophic consequences.'