4-month-old baby dies in extreme heat wave: Tips to keep kids safe

(PHOENIX) — A 4-month-old baby died in Arizona last week after suffering a heat-related illness while on a boat, according to police.

The infant’s death comes amid an ongoing heat wave in the U.S. affecting tens of millions of people across multiple states.

The infant, who was not identified by police, was rescued from a boat on Lake Havasu on July 5 and transported to a local hospital, according to authorities.

From there, the infant was taken to Phoenix Children’s Hospital, where they “succumbed to their injuries,” the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement released Monday.

The sheriff’s office said the investigation into the child’s death is “ongoing.”

A sheriff spokesperson told ABC News Wednesday the office is not releasing any further information.

On Wednesday, a spokesperson for the medical examiner’s office in Maricopa County, where Phoenix Children’s Hospital is located, identified the infant as Tanna Rae Wroblewski and said her cause of death has not yet been determined.

A GoFundMe page established for the Wroblewski family states that they were enjoying a “family day on the lake” when the infant “lost consciousness” and family members started performing CPR.

“Lake Havasu City Fire Department quickly arrived to take over life-saving procedures. Tanna was rushed to Havasu Regional Medical Center where they continued to work on her to get a pulse,” the fundraiser states. “She was then airlifted to Phoenix Children’s Hospital where they did everything in their power to revive her, but God had other plans, and took Tanna to heaven that night.”

Attempts to reach members of the Wroblewski family by ABC News were not successful.

In the Lake Havasu area, temperatures over the past week have hit triple digits, reaching as high as 120 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the National Weather Service.

As of Tuesday, more than 70 million people were under heat alerts in the West amid a scorching heat wave enveloping much of the U.S., but particularly the West Coast.

How to protect kids from heat

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, children are more susceptible than adults to the health effects of extreme temperatures, including extreme heat, because they cannot regulate their body temperature as well as adults.

When it comes to extreme heat, children may suffer health effects including heat exhaustion, heat cramps and heat stroke, according to the AAP.

Parents and caregivers should do their best to keep kids in indoor, air-conditioned areas in periods of extreme heat, and make sure kids are well-rested and hydrated.

Symptoms of heat-related illness to watch for in babies and kids include faintness, extreme tiredness, intense thirst, headaches, fever, nausea, vomiting, hyperventilation and skin numbness or tingling, according to the AAP.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.